Councillors in Manchester have approved plans for five new skyscrapers that will provide no affordable housing among 2,388 flats.
Manchester City Council granted planning permission for two schemes at Deansgate square yesterday.
The first includes a 213m, 71-storey tower with 642 homes – which would be the UK’s tallest skyscraper outside London.
The development involves three floors of lounges, private dining and meeting rooms, a gym and a swimming pool, a public restaurant on the top floor, and a separate three-storey office block.
A consultation on the scheme received one response in support and 16 objections.
The second scheme approved at the Deansgate site involves demolishing existing buildings to make way for another four new towers, two with 47 storeys and two with 51, providing 1,746 homes.
The consultation received 56 representations – of which 53 were objections.
Officers said the proposed heights were in keeping with nearby buildings.
There will be no affordable housing in any of the five skyscrapers, and no sum has been agreed with developer Renaker to provide affordable housing elsewhere.
This is despite a council policy that developers should either provide new homes for social or affordable rent, or provide an equivalent financial contribution, in line with a target for 20% of new housing to be affordable.
Officers said that although the target had not been met, the proposal still complied with policy because the scheme would not be deliverable if a contribution was provided.
They said the section 106 agreement should be amended to provide affordable housing ‘should economic conditions change’.
