The Meteor
Manchesters Independent Media
The British born Thomas Paine played a fundamental part in the American Revolution, which led to the formation of the world’s most powerful democracy.
The radical free thinker’s life is depicted in Paul Fitzgerald’s new graphic novel PAINE. The author answers The Meteor’s questions on Paine’s pivotal role in the American Revolution, how he fell foul of the French Revolution, and what the arch anti-royalist would have made of the Queens Platinum Jubilee.
Hulme residents took to the streets to make their opposition clear to more student tower blocks. “There is nothing else for older people here,” says Sally, who has lived in Hulme since 1969.
Community-led housing is on the rise. Local groups in need of suitable housing in Greater Manchester are being encouraged to get involved in creating genuinely affordable housing tailored to their needs.
Established housing cooperative Homes for Change show what can be achieved when support is provided which allows people to work together to create housing solutions.
Block the Block is a campaign started by residents of Hulme who are opposed to the building of high-rise student blocks, on a plot of land that has already had two similar proposals rejected by the council’s planning committee.
Their Crowdfunder aims to pay for a planning consultant to help prepare their case against this new proposal.
Community-led groups making up the GM Savers Network describe how they and their members are working together to get through the Covid-19 crisis.
The number of people over the age of 55 living in rented accommodation is increasing. The Meteor visits Hopton Court, a social housing block in Hulme, and speaks with older renters about the challenges and uncertainty they face.
The series trailer and episode lead-ins for the BBC documentary Manctopia are suggestive of a series seeking to analyse the inequalities associated with Manchester’s “property boom”.
Instead, this glossy reality TV entrenches a misguided message that uncontrolled investor-driven urban development is the only possible trajectory. Its winners vs losers framing negatively impacts those communities experiencing the pressures of gentrification on a daily basis.
Manchester City Council’s full Planning Committee returns and four huge developments are on the table. Co-living towers, some of which breach national guidelines on livable space and two 51 storey skyscrapers with no affordable housing, are to be decided on. Manchester City Council’s Planning Committee sits again on 30 July tasked with signing off on […]
The controversial 17-storey ‘Shudehill Shard’ development has had a planning application amendment approved by Manchester City Council today under emergency powers. The published decision was also accompanied by a statement saying full scrutiny of planning proposals would recommence in July with the reinstatement of the planning committee.
For the past few months The Meteor has been covering Manchester City Council’s suspension of its planning committee. We explain why we’re committed to continuing to cover this issue, which has seen controversial proposals previously rejected, approved under delegated powers. In March, Manchester City Council suspended its planning committee in response to the Covid-19 crisis. […]
