Manchester City Council commissioned the Practice to formulate a strategy for this area of East Manchester, which consists of a dense collection of pre-1919 terraced housing. Originally there was a mixed tenancy of private and council housing association ownership. A strategy was developed with a view to embracing the existing rhythm of the terraces, wherein roughly half the building stock would be retained. Newly built linear housing would complement the existing stock, which acted as an “anchor” in formal terms, but also allowed for substantial tenant and owner choice. The criteria for the project were to ensure equivalency between the different tenures in terms of private and public amenity and to ensure that the neighbourhood, whilst being enhanced, retained a homogenous quality.
