Plan for old Droylsden Library and Lock Keepers site moves forward

Town hall bosses in Tameside have agreed to sell off their own land to push forward a major housing development next to Droylsden Marina.

The council agreed to sell the former Droylsden Library and Lock Keepers Site to True North Partnerships last year so a new ‘waterfront neighbourhood’ could be built. The developers have since looked at the land and found ‘abnormal’ ground conditions, finance boss Cllr Hugh Roderick explained.

He told the latest town hall meeting that the price, which was not made publicly available, had to be re-negotiated as a result of the findings. Two extra plots of land next to Manchester Road and the marina, on each side of the site, have also been added to the deal.

The executive cabinet was told how this sale agreement was needed in order to bring forward the 192-home scheme. Planning permission has been requested for three apartment buildings and a series of duplex homes at ground level, ‘arranged to maximise natural light and views across the Marina, Ashton Canal and towards the Pennines and Manchester city centre’. 

All the homes will be available for affordable rates (up to 80 per cent of market value), say developers CERT and True North Partnerships. The scheme forms part of a wider masterplan from the local authority to breathe new life into Droylsden.

Deputy leader Cllr Andrew McLaren said: “I think this shows how serious we are about Droylsden.”

Cllr Teresa Smith wanted to see residents’ concerns about traffic congestion addressed. Coun Laura Boyle, a local Droylsden councillor, said she has been contacted by residents about this issue. 

She raised concerns about the increase in size of the scheme from 160 homes to 192 and questioned how traffic congestion will be managed given only 36 parking spaces are included in the scheme. The council officer at the meeting in Tameside One building, on October 28, said he would share these concerns with the developer.

One objectors to the scheme is Celia Poole, who lives in Bridgewater House – just next to the proposed project site. When the vision was first revealed earlier this year, she was shocked by the scale of the plans, given the site is only 0.93 hectare, saying it was triple the expected size.

She said previously: “The consultation saw over 90 responses submitted. To have that many submissions but having no change is very surprising. The scale is the main issue. There are 192 homes planned on a small plot. Parking infrastructure is also a problem.

“Many people were talking about the move to more sustainable transport methods starting. But in reality to have 192 homes and have 36 parking spaces isn’t going to work.

“It’s unrealistic. It doesn’t make sense. If even a quarter of those homes have people with young children they won’t be able to go without a car.”

Now the land sale has been approved by the executive cabinet, the next step would be a decision on the planning permission. If approval is granted, work could start as soon as March 2027, the meeting heard.