New affordable homes offer a fresh start for families living in our neighbourhoods

Our new homes at Brigham Street and Blackwin Street are now complete. Delivered in partnership with Manchester City Council through Project 500, they’re part of our shared commitment to creating more affordable homes for Manchester families. Project 500 is a council-led initiative aiming to increase the supply of affordable homes across our city. Together, the schemes are helping to turn the dream of home ownership into reality for local people while easing pressure on the city’s growing housing need. 

Tanya is a single mum of three who’s moved into a four-bedroom, three-bathroom new build affordable home at our Brigham Street development in Openshaw – her move has come after years of living in an overcrowded property in Levenshulme. Through Shared Ownership, she’s been able to buy a home of her own – something she never believed would be possible.  

 
Speaking about the move, Tanya said: “Shared Ownership has been massively helpful – after years of saving I still never thought I’d be able to get onto the property ladder. Everything’s newer and more spacious, and it’s made a huge difference to me and the children. They all have their own bedrooms now, and the three bathrooms mean far fewer arguments in the morning. The ecofriendly features also mean I’m saving around £150 a month on my bills – it really has changed our lives.”  

 
Tanya and her children moved in this summer and are among the first residents at Brigham Street and nearby Blackwin Street – two of the earliest developments delivered through Project 500. The council-led initiative will create 500 affordable homes across Manchester, offering a mix of tenures to support people at different stages of life. 

All 24 homes at the Brigham Street development were completed and occupied by Sunday 1 February. Built between November 2023 and July 2025, the scheme delivers a mix of 10 Shared Ownership homes, 10 for Affordable Rent, and four for Social Rent, giving local people a range of genuinely affordable options. 

 
The Blackwin Street development in Gorton was built on former brownfield land between March 2024 and October 2025, the scheme provides seven new homes – three for Affordable Rent and four for Social Rent – within one of our established neighbourhoods. This means residents benefit from existing community networks, support services and access to Neighbourhood Officers for tenancy matters from day one. 

 
Together, the two developments have delivered 31 new affordable homes for local people. All homes meet the Future Homes Standard and include energy-efficient features such as electric heating, air source heat pumps, enhanced insulation and EV charging points – helping residents cut energy costs while supporting more sustainable living. 

The delivery of these homes comes at a time of significant housing need. Shelter estimates that one in 61 people in Manchester were homeless in late 2025, highlighting the urgent demand for affordable homes across our city. While nearly 11,000 of Manchester’s planned 36,000 new homes for the early 2030s have already been delivered, we remain committed to working with Manchester City Council to support the target of 10,000 affordable homes across Manchester delivering quality, affordable homes for local people like Tanya. 

The North West also recorded the highest number of affordable housing starts in England during 2024–25, according to the latest Homes England statistics.  

Representatives from Manchester City Council including Councillor Gavin White visited the Brigham Street development in late January. The visit included a guided tour, design and construction updates, and information about the first residents who’d moved in – showcasing the early positive impact of Project 500 on the Openshaw and Gorton communities.  

Andrew Cooke, Chief Financial Officer at One Manchester, commented: “Tanya’s story shows exactly why developments like Brigham Street and Blackwin Street matter. Seeing Project 500 already making a real difference to people’s lives is incredibly encouraging, and it reinforces why we’re committed to delivering high‑quality, affordable homes across Manchester.  

“It’s been a privilege for us as an organisation to play our part in this work, and to welcome key stakeholders on site to see first‑hand the sustainability features and the impact these new homes are already having.” 

Councillor Gavin White, Executive Member for Housing and Development for Manchester City Council, said: "The Council is always searching for ways that we can make significant leaps forward when it comes to providing affordable, high quality and energy efficient homes for Mancunians. Many people have been faced with rising costs both in the private rental sector, and when it comes to buying their own home. We don't think this always offers a fair deal for our residents which is why Project 500 is such an important scheme, to use small plots of brownfield council land to help deliver more social and affordable housing with our partners across the city. 
 
"We are well on track to surpass our initial target of building 500 new affordable homes through this specific initiative, and this latest development in Openshaw is another signal that we are determined to tackle the housing crisis in Manchester. In 2025, we saw 795 new social and affordable homes completed in Manchester, a record year of delivery – with plenty more to come in 2026." 

Both developments were delivered in partnership with construction contractor John Southworth, with a strong focus on social value and local investment. Across the two sites, around 36–37% of materials and subcontractors were sourced locally, supporting nearby businesses and keeping investment within the community. The projects also created three new apprenticeships, sustained a further four, and provided eight job placements for local people, alongside donations to local food banks and support for the South Street Community Garden. 

All Brigham Street and Blackwin Street homes have been allocated. However, if you’re looking to move and would like to find out more about what options are available, head to the ‘Find a home’ page on our website.  

Alternatively, you can speak to your Neighbourhood Officer or get in touch with our Customer Resolution Centre on 0330 355 1000