Office and retail conversions in Wythenshawe town centre regeneration
£500m masterplan, will see former office and retail buildings converted to housing.
11 March 2026
Planning approval has been granted for nearly 300 new social rent homes in Wythenshawe town centre, marking the next phase of the £500 million regeneration of the area and highlighting the growing role of office and retail conversions in urban housing delivery.
The plans, brought forward by Muse in partnership with Wythenshawe Community Housing Group and Manchester City Council, form part of a wider programme to deliver up to 2,000 homes across the town centre over the next 10 to 15 years.
Approval has now been secured for two of three residential schemes submitted for planning in December 2025, enabling construction to begin on the first phases of the redevelopment.
The largest of the approved schemes will see the conversion of Brotherton House, a former office building, into 216 homes. The project includes an extra care development comprising 109 apartments for older residents and people living with dementia, alongside 81 standard apartments and 25 new-build two- to four-bedroom townhouses. The plans also include new landscaped gardens and public green spaces.
A second project, known as C2 The Birtles, will replace existing retail and office accommodation near the former market square with 81 one- and two-bedroom apartments. The redevelopment will retain active ground floor retail uses, intended to complement the wider Civic regeneration programme in the town centre.
A third scheme, Alpha House, is expected to follow in the coming weeks. The building has already been demolished and will be replaced with a new development providing 125 one- and two-bedroom apartments, including 16 wheelchair-accessible homes.
All of the homes across the schemes will be delivered for social rent and designed to meet modern energy-efficiency standards, with shared outdoor and communal spaces intended to support community interaction and wellbeing.
Joe Stockton, development director at Muse, said the schemes represent a key step in delivering affordable homes at the heart of Wythenshawe’s regeneration, responding to local feedback and supporting a range of housing needs including later-life accommodation.
The housing developments form part of the wider transformation of Wythenshawe Civic, which includes new community facilities, workspace and public realm improvements. The programme is supported by £20 million of government funding alongside £11.9 million from Manchester City Council.
Projects already underway within the wider regeneration include a new Culture Hub, while proposals for a Food Hall and additional commercial space are currently progressing through the planning process.
