A canal picture ….. and a controversy ......

 Now little did I know when I stumbled into New Islington I would contribute to a debate.

Canal shapes ... old and new, 2023

Its that new development between the Ashton and Rochdale Canals bounded by Great Ancoats Street. 

Historically it has always been New Islington and appears as such on Johnson’s map of 1819, but that said the name did rather fall out of use in favour of the Cardroom Estate which was a Municipal development of social housing built in the 1970s.

18th century house, 21st century tower, 2023

By the 2000s the area did seem to be in need of “something” given that the estate had slowly lost its pubs, shops, and eventually the local primary school.

The bigger picture involved those bold plans to regenerate east Manchester as first the colliery and then a swathe of factories, iron works and chemical plants closed.  

Along the way the name Eastlands was coined, and we got a stadium fit for the Commonwealth Games with other sporting venues coming up behind.

To this was added the decision to regenerate New Islington which was a partnership between the City Council and the developer, Urban Splash.

The Guardian carried three article in quick succession about the plans along with a heap of silly comparisons with that other place in London which has Islington in its name.*

One of the more well-balanced articles, came from the Manchester Evening News in 2019. 

It  explored the concerns of the Cardroom residents when the Council and Urban Splash announced the regeneration plans, reported on the consultation process and focused on the opinions of those residents who felt let down as well as those who thought it had worked.**

A window to watch, 2023

I have to admit back in the early 2000s I gave it little attention, and only got round to my first visit in November of 2022.

Since then, I have taken the tram from Chorlton to New Islington on several occasions.  

Each time exploring a different aspect of the architecture, the history and just the feel of the place, following up the visits with blog stories.

But there are those that point out that all this newness has come at a cost, particularly for some of the residents of the Cardroom Estate who were apprehensive about what might have been an invasion and take over of a “metropolitan” way of life.

One observer has talked about residents being driven away. 

At which point I have to say I don’t know. 

The water picture, 2023

Offers were made of houses in the same streets for those that wanted them, which in turn has prompted me to go looking for more information. The first is Cardroom Voices, containing the photographs of Len Grant and the stories and opinions of twelve of the Cardroom residents.***

After which I shall trawl the Manchester Evening News, and the comments of the city Council and Urban Splash, along with more walks, more photographs and more stories about the new New Islington.

Relics of The Soho Iron Works, 2023

Location; New Islington

Pictures; New Islington, 2023 from the collection of Andrew Simpson

Setees and a canal, 2023

*New Islington to rise among satanic mills, Guardian February 1^st, 2002, Cardroom Voices Scheme targets vast area of urban decay, Guardian, March 29^th 2001, Manchester Unveils plans for a radically New Islington, the Guardian September 17^th, 2002

**Goodbye to the old council, Maya Black, February 9th, 2019, https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/property/new-islington-urban-splash-regeneration-15520086

***Cardroom Voices, Len Grant https://indd.adobe.com/view/53bfe9ea-1076-4f6e-9c6b-9b48600cca58