Kellen Homes and Great Places file application to demolish buildings on 18-acre site

North-west housebuilder Kellen Homes has applied for permission to demolish an abattoir close to Etihad stadium and build around 400 homes on the site.

The Warrington-based firm is working with housing association Great Places on the scheme at Riverpark Trading Estate, an 18-acre site just to the north of the Manchester City FC home ground and the neighbouring Co-op Live Arena.

Riverpark estate

The circular abattoir building at Riverpark Trading Estate

Kellen, which is led by Renaker’s Daren Whitaker and former Countryside chief executive Ian Kelley, has submitted an application to Manchester city council seeking approval to clear the site, which has long been earmarked for housing.

Around 350,000sq ft of buildings would be demolished, including an unusual ring-shaped abattoir and several smaller industrial units and self-storage buildings.

The pair of firms have already secured a £3.5m loan from Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s brownfield housing fund for the site, which was acquired from Realty Estates.

Realty previously received consent in 2015 for a 340-home scheme on the site designed by Manchester architect Hodder & Partners.