Oakley Villa restoration forms centrepiece of 53-home Fallowfield plan 2026

Key Points

• Views has lodged plans with Manchester City Council for 53 houses on the site of the old Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers, referred to as USDAW, in Fallowfield.
• The Oakley Gardens project will involve the refurbishment of the historic Oakley Villa, which will be turned into 11 one and two bedroom flats.
• It includes 42 three and four bedroom houses aimed for family use.
• Nick Moss Architects have designed the development and it was lodged by AshtonHale on behalf of Views on 16 September 2026.
• It involves the landscaping of the area, access roads, parking, bicycle storage and refuse areas.
• According to Views, the scheme will preserve Oakley Villa, mature trees and other historic aspects within the building.
• There have been previous proposals for the same land that have been rejected.
• The USDAW headquarters have been vacant for five years now, as per prior reports.
• This development land is in close proximity to the Platt Fields Park and opposite to the Fallowfield campus of the University of Manchester.
• Prior consultations revealed that Views will engage with the locals and disseminate information to around 1,000 neighbors both residential and commercial.

Fallowfield (Manchester Mirror) September 18, 2026 – Views has submitted plans to Manchester City Council for a 53-home development at the former headquarters of the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers, known as USDAW, on Wilmslow Road.

The proposed scheme, named Oakley Gardens, would transform the two-acre site at 188 Wilmslow Road. It would combine the restoration and conversion of the existing Oakley Villa with new housing on parts of the former office site.

According to Estates Gazette, Views is seeking permission for a mix of one- to four-bedroom properties. The submitted proposal comprises 11 one- and two-bedroom apartments in Oakley Villa and 42 three- and four-bedroom houses elsewhere on the site.

The application was lodged by planning consultant AshtonHale on behalf of Views on 16 September. Nick Moss Architects is responsible for the design of the proposed development.

The scheme would also include new landscaping, access roads, parking, cycle storage and refuse facilities. The application therefore covers both the residential buildings and the supporting infrastructure needed to operate the site.

How would Oakley Villa be used in the development?

Oakley Villa would be retained, restored and converted into 11 apartments under the plans.

Estates Gazette reported that the villa is not a listed building but contains several historic and architectural features. These include decorative ceilings, fireplaces, mouldings and a grand staircase. Views’ proposal would preserve the building rather than replace it with a new structure.

The villa dates from approximately 1840, according to earlier consultation information published by Views and reporting by Place North West. The building is the older part of the former USDAW complex, while the office buildings that were later added to the site would be replaced or redeveloped under the current proposal.

Views described the project as a combination of heritage restoration and new construction. Shujaat Rasool, co-chief executive of Views, said the project represented “a juxtaposition of old and new”, with Oakley Villa restored and complemented by family housing.

As reported by Estates Gazette, Rasool said the project had placed particular attention on tree retention, landscape enhancement and heritage conservation. He added that the one- to four-bedroom mix was intended to serve a broad range of residents.

What types of homes would be built?

The proposal would provide 53 homes in total:

• 11 one- and two-bedroom apartments within the restored Oakley Villa.
• 42 three- and four-bedroom houses on the remainder of the site.

The houses are intended to provide family-sized accommodation. Earlier consultation material from Views described them as three- and four-bedroom townhouses, while Place North West reported that the former USDAW office building would be replaced by the 42 houses.

The submitted plans also refer to properties ranging from one to four bedrooms. That mix would give the scheme a combination of smaller apartments and larger houses rather than a single type of residential accommodation.

Views has presented the housing as being consistent with the surrounding residential streets. Patrick Sheridan, the company’s senior development manager, said in material published by Views that the location was suited to family housing because of its relationship with neighbouring streets and the natural environment around it.

What environmental and heritage features would be retained?

Views said the plans would retain Oakley Villa and mature trees on the site.

The site is bounded on two sides by Platt Fields Park, according to Views’ consultation material. It also contains a number of protected trees, which the company said would be retained as part of the proposed development.

The landscaping element of the proposal is intended to improve the setting of the homes and the villa. The plans also include cycle storage, parking and refuse facilities, alongside new access roads.

The treatment of the villa is a significant part of the scheme because the building is one of the site’s defining features. Although it is not listed, Estates Gazette reported that it contains internal details associated with its historic character, including decorative ceilings, fireplaces, mouldings and a grand staircase.

The proposal would therefore reuse the older building while introducing new homes around it. Views has framed that approach as a way of combining the historic identity of the site with modern residential accommodation.

What consultation has taken place?

Views previously announced a public consultation before submitting the planning application.

According to Views, the consultation was scheduled to take place at Oakley Villa on 9 December 2025, with an online consultation running from 9 December to 23 December. The event was intended to give local residents an opportunity to review the emerging proposals and provide comments.

Views said it would also engage with statutory stakeholders during the design process. The company and AshtonHale planned to distribute information leaflets to approximately 1,000 residential and commercial neighbours around the site.

Patrick Sheridan said local interest in the future of the site made early engagement important. In a statement published by Views, he said the company wanted to ensure that the proposals enhanced the wider area.

Place North West reported that Views was continuing to test the scheme’s viability and was “investigating all options” for providing affordable housing. The report did not state that a specific number of affordable homes had been confirmed in the submitted application.

The distinction is important because the presence, proportion and tenure of affordable housing would normally be considered during the planning process. The publicly available reports reviewed for this article do not establish a final affordable housing commitment for Oakley Gardens.

Why is the planning history significant?

The application follows earlier proposals for the former USDAW site that did not proceed.

Estates Gazette reported that a previous owner’s proposals for the site were refused. Views said it subsequently consulted the local community and worked with Manchester City Council before submitting its own plans.

The former site has also been associated with proposals for purpose-built student accommodation. In 2021, Manchester City Council rejected plans for a 425-home student scheme at the location, according to Place North West. The proposal involved demolishing most of the existing buildings and constructing two residential blocks.

A later proposal linked to Watkin Jones included plans for approximately 440 student beds, communal facilities and landscaped areas. That proposal also intended to retain Oakley Villa, although the building was proposed for communal use rather than conversion into apartments.

The current Oakley Gardens scheme represents a different approach to the site. Instead of student accommodation, it proposes a lower-density residential development comprising apartments and family houses. It would also restore the villa for residential use.

The planning history means the new application will be assessed in the context of earlier decisions, the character of the surrounding area, transport and access, heritage considerations, tree retention and housing need.

Where is the site located?

The former USDAW headquarters is at 188 Wilmslow Road in Fallowfield, Manchester.

The site is close to Platt Fields Park and opposite the University of Manchester’s Fallowfield campus. Place North West reported that the university campus is expected to undergo a £400m transformation, including the addition of 900 student beds.

The location places the proposed housing within an area that includes established residential streets, parkland and a significant student population. That setting is relevant to the design and planning assessment because the proposed family houses would sit near existing housing and university accommodation.

Views acquired the site after it had been vacant for five years, according to the company’s consultation material and reporting by Place North West. Place North West said the site had previously been under the control of Watkin Jones Group before Views acquired it for an undisclosed fee.

The site’s position near the university has previously made it a focus for student accommodation proposals. The new application instead places emphasis on family housing, the existing villa and the landscaped character of the land.

What has Views said about the Oakley Gardens plans?

Shujaat Rasool, co-chief executive of Views, said the company’s plans were intended to restore Oakley Villa and provide family homes.

As reported by Estates Gazette, Rasool said the proposal would retain trees, enhance the landscape and conserve heritage features while providing properties for different household types.

Patrick Sheridan, senior development manager at Views, said the site was suitable for family housing and that the company wanted to engage with neighbours at an early stage. His comments were published by Views during the consultation phase and reported by Place North West.

The company’s statements emphasise three elements of the scheme: the reuse of Oakley Villa, the provision of family-sized homes and the retention of trees and landscape features.

The planning application will determine whether those objectives can be delivered in a form acceptable to Manchester City Council. Views’ submission does not, by itself, mean that permission has been granted.

What happens next in the planning process?

Manchester City Council will assess the planning application before reaching a decision.

The assessment is expected to consider the design and layout of the 53 homes, the proposed conversion of Oakley Villa, the impact on trees and landscaping, access arrangements, parking, cycle storage, refuse collection and the relationship between the development and neighbouring properties.

The council will also consider representations from residents, statutory consultees and other interested parties. Any changes requested during the planning process could affect the final layout, housing mix, landscaping or other details.

The available reports do not state a date for a planning committee decision. The outcome will depend on the council’s assessment of the submitted documents and the responses received during the consultation process.

Background: What is the history of the former USDAW site?

The site at 188 Wilmslow Road has long been associated with USDAW, whose full name is the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers.

The historic Oakley building dates from around 1840 and was incorporated into the wider trade union headquarters complex. The site later included office accommodation and was used as USDAW’s Fallowfield headquarters.

Earlier proposals focused on student accommodation. Watkin Jones was linked to plans for hundreds of student beds, including communal facilities and new blocks. Manchester City Council rejected a 425-home student accommodation proposal in 2021, according to Place North West.

Views later acquired the approximately two-acre site after it had been vacant for five years. In December 2025, the company outlined its intention to restore Oakley Villa as 11 apartments and replace the former office buildings with 42 three- and four-bedroom houses.

The current application formalises that broad concept through the Oakley Gardens planning submission lodged on 16 September 2026.

Prediction: How could the proposal affect Fallowfield residents and homebuyers?

If approved, the Views 53-home Fallowfield development would add a new supply of apartments and family houses to the local housing market. The 42 three- and four-bedroom homes could be particularly relevant to households seeking larger accommodation in an area where demand has also been shaped by the nearby university and student housing.

The restoration of Oakley Villa could preserve an important local landmark while giving the building a new residential use. Retaining mature and protected trees could also help maintain part of the site’s established landscape character, although the eventual effect would depend on the detailed construction and landscaping proposals.

Residents are likely to focus on practical issues such as traffic, parking, construction activity, access from Wilmslow Road and Langley Road, refuse collection and the effect of new homes on neighbouring streets. The council’s consultation process will provide the formal route for those concerns to be considered.

For local housing supply, the main potential change would be the shift from a vacant former office site and previously proposed student accommodation towards a mixed residential scheme. However, the number of affordable homes, the final design and the timing of construction remain uncertain in the information currently available.