Manchester City Council has announced the beginning of a consultation regarding the redevelopment of Wythenshawe Town Centre, with early plans already being drawn up.
With hopes that the regeneration will be assisted by a £20 million funding allocation from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund, local residents will be able to attend in-person sessions to meet council officers and discuss the projects between the 7th and 12th November.
The development projects will be focused on making the town centre a new focal point for the community, by harking back to Wythenshawe’s roots as a garden city by planting new trees, as well as creating a new, large, boulevard-style public realm.
Proposals included to help regenerate the town centre include:
- Culture hub: Artist studios, performance space and a community cinema in the former Co-op department store.
- Food Hall: A large, flexible events space championing local produce by day and leading a new night-time economy through food drink, live music and street food offering by night.
- Employment spaces: New flexible employment accommodation ranging from co-working spaces through to a new enterprise centre with focus on local start-up and small and medium sized businesses and larger floorplate managed office space.
- New civic square and public realm: A large new focal point representing the new heart of the town centre and capable of hosting community events. Improved accessibility and the creation of small, naturally-planted ‘sponge parks’ designed to increase biodiversity and help adapt to the impacts off climate change while reducing the risk of flooding.
- Decarbonisation: Sustainable retrofit of existing building to improve energy performance and reduce carbon emissions plus the installation of solar PV cells on rooftop spaces.
Manchester City Council’s executive member for housing and development, Councillor Gavin White, said:
“Consultation is incredibly important at the beginning of a major regeneration programme like this. Feedback and input from local people about how their local town centre works for them is invaluable.
“We have big ambitions to improve the area for this community, but this only work if the result is welcomed by the very people that use it daily.
“Wythenshawe town centre has a huge amount off potential and this investment will help improve the offer for residents and attract people to the centre as well – while also creating new jobs and new homes for the community.
“We have a real opportunity to create a town centre that benefits generations to come, so I would urge as many people to take part and take time to visit the drop-in. We really want to hear from you.”
The consultation period will end on the 25th November.
