Manchester City Council has approved plans for the largest scheme ever to be developed in the city.

The outline planning application for the 38-hectare Holt Town Waterfront in East Manchester was submitted by specialist regeneration developer Cibitas Investments.

Adjacent to the flagship Sportscity development, the new urban quarter will provide a river valley park, a range of bars, restaurants and retail outlets as well as more than 4,300 new homes.

David Shelton, managing director at Cibitas, comments: 'We are absolutely delighted with the City Council's decision.

“We have worked hard as a team with colleagues at New East Manchester to develop a commercially viable scheme that will bring something new and exciting to Manchester and the UK.”

The scheme is being delivered in partnership with New East Manchester and Manchester City Council.

Cibitas was assisted in the preparation of the planning application by GVA Grimley, EDAW, Arup, Berwin Leighton Paisner, Eversheds and Cre8 Management. Manchester City Council's Planning Committee approved the application at its meeting on 20 December 2007.