Plans for Manchester’s brand-new city centre park get green light

Proposals to transform a former Ancoats retail site have been given the green light.

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.

A central lawn and plaza will create a green buffer to Great Ancoats Street, with various tiered gardens navigating the different level changes across the site, alongside play areas, paths and tranquil areas to escape the noise of the city. The park has been designed to make sure that it is fully accessible.

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

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, driving economic growth and employment opportunities for the city.

Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “Gaining planning approval for both the GPA’s digital campus and the latest city centre park is the launchpad for the transformation of this site.

“Our ambition has long been to bring the former retail park back into active use and working in partnership with the GPA we are delivering a quality, low carbon development that will bring 7,000 civil service jobs to Manchester in the coming years.

“The new digital campus plays to Manchester’s strengths. We have fostered one of the fastest growing tech and digital communities in the UK, with a growing international reputation. The transformation of this brownfield site supports our ongoing growth in the sector, which translates into quality employment and development opportunities for our residents.”

“We stand ready to work with this Government to bring forward other ambitious investments in Manchester that can continue our path of sustainable economic growth, supporting our residents to thrive.

“At the same time, the new park is a welcome addition to our city centre green spaces and a reimagining of the former retail site that has for many years acted only as a barrier to the community behind – and an eyesore in one of the most exciting parts of our city.”