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£4.4m New Islington (Rochdale) canal works, Manchester.


Josher

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  • 2 months later...

From Property Week:

 

East Manchester’s New Islington is undergoing an exciting period of regeneration. Site Life is giving you a chance to be a part of it, as Urban Splash director of development Richard Hattan explains

 

As part of Property Week’s ongoing Site Life campaign, to find lively interim uses for vacant sites affected by the downturn in the development cycle, it has teamed up with specialist regeneration developer Urban Splash to launch an exciting competition.

 

The winner will design and deliver an interim use for a prominent cleared site in Urban Splash’s New Islington development in east Manchester. The temporary use will remain in place for at least one year – the whole of 2011 – while Urban Splash develops other parts of New Islington. This competition represents the chance for an architect, artist or community group – anyone is allowed to enter – to make their mark and turn heads with an eye-catching and useful solution to a stalled site.

 

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Full details of the competition here.

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  • 8 months later...

At last ...

 

New Islington marina to open in summer

 

15 Mar 2011, 16:24

 

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A marina and park at the New Islington development in east Manchester will open in the summer, according to lead developer Urban Splash and its partners delivering the scheme.

 

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Canal works, which will bring boats into New Islington for the first time, have started. The Rochdale and Ashton canals are being connected to the marina at New Islington, which will give boaters access to an eco-friendly building with laundry, toilet and shower facilities. The marina will also provide moorings for up to 40 boats, complete with electric and water points. As well as being available for visitors, there will also be dedicated moorings for residential and long term leases.

 

The works are going ahead following a £4.4m investment from the North West Development Agency towards public realm development at the scheme and are expected to be completed by summer this year. Paul Lakin, head of land and property at the NWDA, said: "Opening up the canals is an important step in generating new revenue and attracting private sector investment into the wider development of the area." Richard Hattan, director at Urban Splash, added: "We even have our own park keeper on site to keep the area looking fantastic and assist visitors who are mooring there."

 

The New Islington project is being delivered in partnership between urban regeneration company New East Manchester, the NWDA, the Homes & Communities Agency, Manchester City Council, lead developer Urban Splash, Great Places Housing Group and also has had funding from the European Regional Development Fund.

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  • 6 months later...

At last!

 

Manchester Confidential

 

Islington Marina Opens Next Week. Urban Splash launches East Manchester flotilla. Written by Jill Burdett. Published this morning at 9:09 AM.Islington Marina Opens Next Week THE new canal marina at New Islington in East Manchester will open to boats on Monday. A mini flotilla is expected to chug along the canal network from Castlefield and take up residence in the new canal basin which links the Rochdale and Ashton canals in East Manchester."Two more major projects are due here soon; the Metrolink and a new footbridge at the Rochdale side directly linking the area to Ancoats."

 

Five of the 32 permanent moorings have been reserved and Richard Hattan, development director at Urban Splash, who will manage the marina, expects more to follow soon. As well as the permanent bases there are also ten visitor moorings to accommodate boats passing through. But while the boaters will have access to the new park, Cotton Field, it will not be open to the general public until next spring.

 

The arrival of the boats is a significant step and whatever your view of the rest of New Islington and the current scandalous state of the iconic dispensary, the canal basin, facilities for the boaters and Cotton Field park all look superb. Confidential was given a quick tour by Richard and from behind the mesh fences you get a better idea of the monumental scale of this project and the difference it will make to the area when it is fully up and running. Yes, its cost £20m and taken far too long but it’s an ambitious and welcome addition to the city. It’s also going to provide just about the most cost effective way to get a home in central Manchester. Permanent moorings cost £25 per foot which means you would pay £1,500 a year plus VAT for a 60ft boat and you can pick up a 10 year old boat that can sleep six for under £40,000. There are water points at the moorings (included in the fee) and a card operated electricity point. You will have to pay council tax though and no-one’s quite sure yet how much that will be. You can rent secure car parking nearby, presumably under Chips, for £42 a month. You also get access to a rather lovely eco-friendly shower cum laundry cum chill-out block. Designed by John Lee from ARCA it’s a cocoon of wood, standing on recycled tyres and insulated with straw that not only provides the necessary washing facilities but a communal place to sit round a log burning stove and free Wi-Fi. It’s also a base for Bob the park keeper, whose role will expand to look after the marina as well. There’s a similarly finished rubbish recycling block at the back of the site and a pump out station. Access to these facilities and the services on the moorings and Cotton Field itself is by special key. That same key also unlocks the canal bridges that give you boat access to the marina.

 

Two more major projects are due here soon; the Metro with a stop at the Ashton side of the Marina arrives next summer and a new footbridge at the Rochdale side directly linking the area to Ancoats. The Metro stop will be a short walk over a re-vamped bridge across the canal to Chips and will suddenly make this block much more accessible to the city centre. There are four permanent moorings on the new canal arm that runs in front of the building and two visitor spaces on this side. Old Mill Street divides the Marina and you can’t take a boat through but you can walk from one side to the other.The moorings reserved first are all on the Rochdale side, furthest into the site, and the five who have signed up are said to be a mixed bunch including a family. Rob Owen Brown, the high profile chef at The Mark Addy, says he plans to move his narrowboat from its current mooring in Castlefield up to New Islington. Richard is understandably rather excited about the boats’ arrival and said: “There will be no big fan fare or ceremony and it will take a while for all of them to arrive and get moored up. But everyone is very excited about having new moorings in the city in this wonderful setting.” www.newislington.co.uk

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BW put out the following notice today:

 

Following the opening of the New Islington Marina onto the Rochdale canal, the flight is now locked at lock 65 and lock 81. Booking details remain the same.

 

Winding for narrow boats up to 70’ long is available at marina entrance.

 

But that's no change is it? This flight is already locked at each end, and has to be booked.

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BW put out the following notice today:

 

 

 

But that's no change is it? This flight is already locked at each end, and has to be booked.

 

It's badly drafted. I think they were anticipating a mindset that would say "There's a marina there now, BW will have dropped the booking scheme" The notice should have read "Following the opening.... we confirm arrangements haven't changed and are...."

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BW put out the following notice today:

"Following the opening of the New Islington Marina onto the Rochdale canal, the flight is now locked at lock 65 and lock 81. Booking details remain the same."

 

But that's no change is it? This flight is already locked at each end, and has to be booked.

 

The locks were previously locked at Lock 83.

 

Anyone heading up the Rochdale might now wish to moor overnight in the New Islington marina as an alternative to the traditional moorings around Ducie Street. They certainly would not want to moor overnight below Lock 81.

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I don't think it will make much difference to most people who would currently moor at Castlefield.

 

Many (perhaps most) of the boats moored there are Bridgewater Canal licensed boats which are only allowed onto BW waters for a certain number of days each year without an additional licence. Some of those boat owners choose to be on the Bridgewater Canal because they are not too keen on locks and would definitely not welcome a two-way traverse of the Rochdale Nine to spend a few days at New Islington.

 

Most of the other boats that moor at Castlefield are doing the Cheshire Ring and the boaters find Castlefield an ideal stop, with its close proximity to Manchester City Centre, restaurants and museums. Many boaters find it convenient to do the Rochdale Nine and the Ashton Canal in one day.

 

The Ashton side of the New Islington water might make a convenient overnight stop for boaters doing the Ashton or Rochdale, but there is already convenient mooring at Ducie Street and (under-used) secure mooring at Telford Basin.

 

I'm not sure how boaters would access the other bit of new canal from the Rochdale Canal side since the Rochdale locks are kept padlocked between 83 and 65 except when booked boats are passing through.

 

 

You want nowt with mooring at Ducie Street, bloody hell !!!!!!! :angry:

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You want nowt with mooring at Ducie Street, bloody hell !!!!!!! :angry:

 

Not sure why you are replying now to what I wrote in March, but Ducie Street is like a lot of other moorings around the canal system - you can have good days and you can have bad days. I have slept aboard boats moored at Ducie Street on several occasions with no hint of bother at all. In most cases the only disturbance that boaters can expect is noisy passers-by.

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Not sure why you are replying now to what I wrote in March, but Ducie Street is like a lot of other moorings around the canal system - you can have good days and you can have bad days. I have slept aboard boats moored at Ducie Street on several occasions with no hint of bother at all. In most cases the only disturbance that boaters can expect is noisy passers-by.

 

 

Never looked at the date Martin, :wacko: wished I`d read this blog before we moored there in April although there wasn`t much option then if you need to go up the Rochdale :( ( a s***hole ) that it is :lol:

 

We think now we were shot at with an air-rifle and had a window put through. It`s supposed to be a `canal watch` area, I mentioned to the police I think it`s only the fish that are watching

 

I agree with you though we could moor there again without a hint of trouble. :P Problem is once you have had trouble one doesn`t have a good word to say.

 

I would NEVER take my own boat through there :wacko: and as we are now boat owners - that`s said :cheers:

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newislington-2.jpg

 

A photo I found recently of the new marina - it's probably a bit more complete by now.

 

The next time I go up the Rochdale from Manchester I will overnight here rather than at Piccadilly Basin, mainly because it means I will start off a couple of locks further up the next morning.

 

Edited to add this one of the entrance that I think was taken this weekend - so still a lot of work to do.

 

newisli.jpg

Edited by journeyperson
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Hi there, just thought we would post that we moved into the New Islington Marina on Monday along with two other boats and it is beautiful. We have water and electric and there is Elsan and pump out facilities. There is also currently under construction a boaters hut which will contain laundry facilities, showers and a chill out area. We have added some pictures to our album if anyone is interested.

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Hi there, just thought we would post that we moved into the New Islington Marina on Monday along with two other boats and it is beautiful. We have water and electric and there is Elsan and pump out facilities. There is also currently under construction a boaters hut which will contain laundry facilities, showers and a chill out area. We have added some pictures to our album if anyone is interested.

 

smiley_offtopic.gif Well not really, Im sure your both chuffed to bits getting in the new marina and I wish you all the best in your new base.

BUT at £20 million for a 50 berth marina it is just an obscene waste of money, there is a similar squandering of funds at Frenches marina (£5 Million for 15 boats max.)at Greenfield on the HNC.

Both projects by developers who obviously know how to massage the fund providers / lottery etc.

 

Islington will always be Ancoats, retro naming will not eradicate its problems no matter how fancy the marina is purporting to be.

The price of the moorings speak for themselves, £1500 + Vat for a 60ft boat. Not much chance of a return on investment at those prices!

Cheers A

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smiley_offtopic.gif Well not really, Im sure your both chuffed to bits getting in the new marina and I wish you all the best in your new base.

BUT at £20 million for a 50 berth marina it is just an obscene waste of money, there is a similar squandering of funds at Frenches marina (£5 Million for 15 boats max.)at Greenfield on the HNC.

Both projects by developers who obviously know how to massage the fund providers / lottery etc.

 

I suspect that the £20 million paid for rather more than just a marina. As for Frenches, there were no funds squandered there - it was paid for entirely by the developer as a condition of planning approval. He wanted to make it smaller (6 boats) after he got initial permission but the council turned that down.

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smiley_offtopic.gif Well not really, Im sure your both chuffed to bits getting in the new marina and I wish you all the best in your new base.

BUT at £20 million for a 50 berth marina it is just an obscene waste of money, there is a similar squandering of funds at Frenches marina (£5 Million for 15 boats max.)at Greenfield on the HNC.

Both projects by developers who obviously know how to massage the fund providers / lottery etc.

 

Islington will always be Ancoats, retro naming will not eradicate its problems no matter how fancy the marina is purporting to be.

The price of the moorings speak for themselves, £1500 + Vat for a 60ft boat. Not much chance of a return on investment at those prices!

Cheers A

 

And yet you took the time to read this and post your comment !

Maybe instead of posting negative comments on the new marina and the area you could come an spend a couple of days on one of the visitor mooring when they are ready !

BW have or will be moving the padlock from lock 83 to 81 so boaters can come and go as they please , although going up to the summit still needs to be booked with them .

Making new mooring and facilities for boaters where you are able to become part of the wider community and keeping the cost reasonble has to be a good thing for all boaters .

We have been looking for a good residential mooring in and around manchester for the past five years there wasnt any until urban splash built the marina ,we live on our boat and can now legaly say so without fear of the powers that be ! ancoats may always be ancoats but regeneration of the area will give it a new lease of life !

Just to say i was born this side of manchester and its great to be living on our boat in our home town .

manchester is a great place to live .

Greg Jax

Edited by Greg & Jax
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And yet you took the time to read this and post your comment !

Maybe instead of posting negative comments on the new marina and the area you could come an spend a couple of days on one of the visitor mooring when they are ready !

BW have or will be moving the padlock from lock 83 to 81 so boaters can come and go as they please , although going up to the summit still needs to be booked with them .

Making new mooring and facilities for boaters where you are able to become part of the wider community and keeping the cost reasonble has to be a good thing for all boaters .

We have been looking for a good residential mooring in and around manchester for the past five years there wasnt any until urban splash built the marina ,we live on our boat and can now legaly say so without fear of the powers that be ! ancoats may always be ancoats but regeneration of the area will give it a new lease of life !

Just to say i was born this side of manchester and its great to be living on our boat in our home town .

manchester is a great place to live .

Greg Jax

 

I was going to respond to Ark Right along the lines of your reply because I want New Islington and all the developments in that area to succeed, but only time will tell if he is right. I am not at all convinced by the bizarre designs of some of the housing around the area there and wonder what will become of them; I don't really think they help gentrify Ancoats. Ancoats may always be Ancoats but the place has changed beyond recognition since I used to visit the warehouses around there in the 60s as a very junior buyer for a Manchester department store.

 

We have an uphill struggle in Manchester. I was in London last weekend visiting my son and every time I go it seems to become more of a State in its own right, sucking investment, people and funds from the rest of the country. Every pound that is spent in and around Manchester is hard fought and worthwhile - I hope. I welcome the marina and wish it success.

Edited by journeyperson
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I took a walk around New Islington today and the security guard gave me a conducted tour of the marina. I will certainly use it next time I need to overnight before going up the Rochdale. There is a lot still to do but it is a peaceful oasis and my guide assured me the entrance is only blocked as a temporary measure to prevent unauthorised access whilst it is a building site.

 

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This is the sort of development I am unconvinced by:

 

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although this hasn't been built yet, unlike these:

 

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which are already looking tatty, complete with frayed England flag, which I'm sure didn't feature in Urban Splashes plans.

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Hi

you should have given me a knock for a cuppa !

to be fair the houses in the picc are right at the side of the construction site and must suffer some what from the dust etc kicked up from all the work etc , that said i do quite like the look of them as they arnt the normal square box type of houses a little quirky !

its certainly very peacefull here .

regards

Greg jax

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The plans for the new bridge (shown in the planning application) are by Gollifer Langston Architects:

 

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I like it - but will it become one of the wonders of the waterways (sub-section: bridges)?

 

Stoppage: Rochdale Canal.

O/S New Islington Marina, Rochdale Canal

 

Monday 31 October 2011 - Monday 31 October 2011

 

To facilitate installation of new canal footbridge

 

British Waterways apologise for any inconvenience caused

 

Enquiries: 01782 785703

 

I wonder whether it will look anything like the renders, and does this mean it will be installed in one day?

 

 

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  • 2 months later...
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There is a lot of construction and landscaping work going on at the moment around the marina entrance, so hopefully the visitor moorings and services will be useable by the time the holiday season gets going. The footbridge work is continuing too although from head on it looks rather like a stealth fighter has landed across the canal at the moment.

 

DSCN0321.jpg

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