Planning application submitted for brand-new city centre park

Proposals to transform a former Ancoats retail site have been submitted to planners by the council.

Designed in collaboration with landscape architects Planit-IE the investment will transform Central Retail Park, aiming to deliver a high-quality, attractive green space in Manchester’s city centre – while also connecting to the existing Cotton Field Park behind and through to Ancoats and New Islington.

Following public consultation in August and September of this year, detailed design work has now been undertaken to enable the planning application to be submitted.

Providing a green buffer to Great Ancoats Street, the tiered design will navigate the original site’s various level changes, creating accessible pathways through the ‘playful, garden-style elements.’

A central lawn and plaza will tie together the wider development of the site, offering a tranquil space where people can unwind and escape the city centre, alongside a play area for young people.

The new park will complement the wider first phase of development of the former retail site, which will be developed separately by the Government Property Agency (GPA), to create a state-of-the-art digital campus. The office complex will bring together several Civic Service departments with a focus on digital skills, and will support around 7,000 Civil Service jobs.

A second phase of development will be brought forward by the Council at a later date — more information on that will be made available in due course.

Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “We have envisaged a greener, more welcoming future for the former retail site for some years and this feels a landmark moment for this part of our city centre.

“Once a barrier to the thriving neighbourhood behind, these proposals reimagine the site as a vibrant district with a green oasis at its heart, helping to meet clear demand for quality park space in our city centre – and part of a thread of nearby green space investment, including Mayfield Park and Ancoats Green.

“More widely, the retail site will be part developed by the GPA who will deliver a new digital campus that will support 7,000 quality Civil Service jobs in the coming years, creating employment opportunities for local people and continued growth in Manchester.”