Capital&Centric unveil first look of sustainable suburban Neighbourhood:Bolton plans

A FIRST look at Capital&Centric’s plans to deliver a new suburban community in the heart of Bolton’s town centre has been revealed.

The social impact developers have released more details on Neighbourhood:Bolton – part of their new concept to reimagine outdated approaches to suburban design. The new Bolton community will feature sustainable, design-led homes; community gardens; running tracks and play streets, spanning a cluster of four brownfield plots on Bradshawgate and Breightmet Street.

‘Neighbourhood’ is their new game-changing suburban homes concept that they plan to expand to towns across the UK, raising the design bar for unloved, brownfield sites with bold design; low-carbon homes; and innovative shared features that help build a true community.

The Manchester-based team is working with renowned architects shedkm on the blueprint, with the aim of bringing striking, quality architecture and community amenities - usually the preserve of high-end city centre developments – to a single family suburban environment.

Neighbourhood: Bolton is expected to boast a range of homes from 1-4 bed family homes, encouraging multigenerational living and a diverse and inclusive community. Bolton will see a new residential quarter emerge through repurposing of brownfield sites, alleviating pressure on the Green Belt and aiding Bolton’s plans to reimagine it’s town centre.

Richard Spackman, Director of Capital&Centric: Neighbourhood, said:

“Neighbourhood is all about dismantling pre-conceived ideas of what suburban communities should look like. People really want to see housing prioritised on brownfield plots alleviating pressure on greenbelt, but think the only choices are the same old estates we have seen for decades.

“With Neighbourhood:Bolton we’re really questioning what makes a modern and inclusive community – that’s everything from the bold house design and quality material choice, to making the streets kid friendly, delivering loads of community facilities and ensuring the homes have exceptional sustainability credentials.

“People have had really poor experiences of both the standard of homes, the service they get and the overall vibe of new build communities. That’s something that has to be addressed.”

The project – aimed at kick-starting regeneration of the whole area surrounding Bolton’s bus and train stations – is Capital&Centric’s second collaboration with Bolton Council. Work on their apartment-led Farnworth Green is already underway.

To date, Capital&Centric’s residential track record features a mix of new build apartments and restorations of historic mills and warehouses, including Kampus, Crusader and Phoenix in Manchester, and Eyewitness Works in Sheffield – set to feature on a new Channel 4 primetime series ‘The Big Interiors Battle’ starting this Friday (21 April).

The team is now preparing a planning application to submit to Bolton Council later in the year.

Richard Spackman added:

“We’re determined to democratise great design by bringing it to priority brownfield sites. At a time when local authorities are desperate to avoid releasing Green Belt, these are often great key town centre locations but viewed as being difficult to deliver. This and lower values mean creativity and quality can be compromised. We want to show that there’s another way.

“Our designs are unashamedly bold and Neighbourhood is all built around people creating meaningful connections within their community. We’re proud to be making that happen in Bolton, and are already in discussions about delivering it in other areas in the North and Midlands.”