Green space, offices & cycling routes: Plans revealed for former city centre retail park

Manchester Council has opened a public consultation period to feedback on plans for a former Ancoats retail park.

Open from today (Tue 27 Aug) the consultation will gather feedback from local residents, businesses and other stakeholders that will help guide proposals to create a new government digital campus – delivered by the GPA – and a new city centre park space, delivered by the council.

The Council agreed an updated Strategic Regeneration Framework (SRF) for the land in March 2023 setting out the high-level principles for development at the site, including low carbon, commercial office space and high-quality green space that will support continued economic growth and accommodate 7,000 new and existing civil service roles.

New Manchester Digital Campus

The Government Property Agency (GPA) exchanged contracts to acquire five acres of the former Central Retail Park in Ancoats from the city council in May this year with a view to constructing a state-of-the-art government digital campus.

This new office complex in the city will bring together a number of Civil Service departments with a focus around digital skills.

Once complete, the campus will be home to around 7,000 civil servants, creating significant opportunities for employment and wider economic development.

New city centre park

The new park space is being designed in collaboration with landscape architects Planit-IE and the council says it will help meet the need for quality, attractive green space in the city centre. It will also open up access to the existing Cotton Field Park and Ancoats Marina.

The site will accommodate new walking routes, helping to link to other city centre active travel investment in Ancoats, Northern Quarter and out towards the Etihad Campus.

Detailed design work will continue following consultation to deliver a park space comparable in size to Ancoats Green, which is also currently undergoing redevelopment works.

Local people and businesses can provide feedback online or at two in-person public consultation events at Halle St Peter’s on Tue 10 Sep. The first session will run from 12pm – 2.30pm, and the second from 5pm – 7pm. Feedback can also be provided online here.

The consultation will end on Mon 23, following which the proposals will be finalised and separate planning applications submitted later this year.

Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “We are beginning to see the potential of this site unlocked and the plans being developed by the council and the GPA meet the ambitions we have for this important site – including a new city centre park and digital campus that will be home to 7,000 civil servant jobs.

“The new park will help meet demand for high-quality green space in the city centre and will complement other green investment – including Ancoats Green – in this neighbourhood.

“As ever, consultation is the opportunity for our residents to give us feedback on the emerging proposals and help guide this investment that will benefit Mancunians for years to come.”