• A new bridge will create the first direct connection between New Islington and neighbouring area Ancoats where the NWDA has invested £72million.
• Canals will be connected to existing waterways allowing boaters to enter and moor in New Islington for the first time.
• New paths and canal walkways will connect New Islington to the city centre.

The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) is granting £4.4million for the transformation of New Islington on the edge of Manchester city centre.

Investment will maintain momentum in a key regeneration scheme and ensure that New Islington in east Manchester is ready for future development when the economic climate improves.

Steven Broomhead, Chief Executive of the NWDA, said: “New Islington is a major regeneration scheme but was at risk of delay due to current market conditions.
“Our aim is to bring new life, activity and revenue into the area. These works will achieve that, and will boost private sector confidence so that once the market improves, New Islington will see the immediate effects.
“Ultimately, the goal is to help secure £250million of investment in the wider development of New Islington, as well as support the NWDA’s direct investment in neighbouring Ancoats.”

The wider New Islington project, a mixed use development on a 12.5ha site, has so far been delivered by a partnership of urban regeneration company New East Manchester, the Homes and Communities Agency (formerly English Partnerships), Manchester City Council, lead developer Urban Splash, Great Places Housing Group and funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).  Once fully developed New Islington will comprise a new primary school, a new health centre, 1458 new homes and 29 retail units. 

Investment from the NWDA will fund:

- Start up costs for the Canal Marina.  This will enable the Marina to immediately accommodate boats and begin collecting mooring fees.
- A major new footbridge over Rochdale Canal to link New Islington and Ancoats.
- Improvements to Tutti Frutti public areas and Downley Drive public areas, including new footpaths.
- Rochdale Canal connection. A short section of canal will be created to connect Rochdale Canal to the New Islington canal.
- A swing bridge adjacent to the Chips development.
- Lock Bridge enhancements (over Ashton Canal) to make it wheelchair accessible.
- Ashton Canal connection. A short section of canal will be created to connect Ashton Canal to the New Islington canal.
- A new “park keepers’ hut” which will house amenities for boaters.
- Paving alongside the New Islington canal.

All work will be complete by the end of 2010.

Despite both neighbouring areas being the focus of major regeneration over the last ten years New Islington and Ancoats have remained separate communities to date. These works unite the two directly for the first time.

New Islington and Ancoats Urban Village will also be better connected to Miles Platting and Cotton Field Park.

By establishing the marina and new connections, including pathways, bridges and canal links, more people will visit New Islington and the area will begin to function as a revamped and exciting community.

It is expected that New Islington will be popular with canal boats as there is a serious shortage of moorings on the canal network, particularly near city centres.

A community event will be held late in 2010 to celebrate the completion of the work and allow people to see for themselves how New Islington has been transformed.

Eddie Smith, Chief Executive of New East Manchester said: "We welcome this investment from the NWDA which is going to be tremendously beneficial in enabling us to take New Islington to the next stage in its development. Opening up the area and connecting it to Ancoats and the Metrolink station at Pollard Street, through pathways and bridges, gives us the opportunity to attract more private sector investment through high quality commercial and residential schemes. I have no doubt that, in time, New Islington will be one of the most sought-after parts of the city to live, work and play and this is another important step towards realising this vision."

Work around the park and canals was completed by English Partnerships between 2003 and 2008 but remains fenced off.

This investment will complete the work on public areas around New Islington and allow these projects to be unlocked and open to pedestrians and boats for the first time.

Tom Bloxham MBE, Group Chairman and co-founder of Urban Splash, said: “Our ambition for New Islington was to turn the Cardroom Estate, one of the worst council estates in Manchester, into a great new place. The vision is fast becoming a reality; we already have great new homes at Chips. Guest Street and Islington Square, a world class NHS clinic, Manchester’s newest park the Cotton Field, new canals and Old Mill Street is now one of the most striking roads in Manchester. Building on this today we announce the next phase of investment which will allow us to continue with our plans all of which will hopefully help us achieve further investment in the future.”

New Islington is one of seven Millennium Communities; a programme managed by the HCA ,which has already invested £22m into the scheme, bringing together new ways of planning, designing and constructing housing schemes to promote a more sustainable way of living.

Deborah McLaughlin, regional director NW of the HCA said: “This latest funding for New Islington is great news as it marks another positive step forward towards achieving our overall vision for New East Manchester. With our Kickstart and Local Authority New Build funding also recently allocated, the New East Manchester area is well on its way to becoming a thriving sustainable community where people choose, and can afford, to live.”

Considerable progress has already been made in relation to the wider New Islington scheme with acquisition, clearance and remediation of the site complete, the construction of the canal link across the site and the development of the new health centre. Three residential developments have been completed including Chips, an Urban Splash development of 142 apartments.