National Trust’s Castlefield Viaduct ‘sky park’ expansion unveiled
Designs conceived by Twelve Architects indicate the garden walkway on the Victorian viaduct will more than double in scale to around 350 metres in length.
The planned phase two of The National Trust project will feature sections named ‘The Garden’ and ‘The Broadwalk’, and hopes are that work could begin next year.
The £25m project’s expansion is phased, with this second phase opening 280 metres of walkway heading westward.
According to plans, ‘The Garden’ will offer a “more explorative experience” compared to the existing phase one.
As visitors move down the park following winding gravel paths, they will pass a horticultural zone with native species, and rest on timber benches dotted along the walkway.
Heading further west, ‘The Broadwalk’, a zone where the “quality of the viaduct is preserved as pristine as possible”, will offer expansive views of the city.
- View a gallery of the plans for the viaduct below
The addition of a second entry point, a staircase and lift linking to Egerton Street will complement the extension.
The National Trust aims to later expand the park down the viaduct to connect up Deansgate with Pomona Wharf.
To aid the project, £400,000 was secured from the National Highways’ Users and Communities Designated Funds programme.
During construction, the first phase of the sky park will remain open to visitors.
The park’s existing welfare centre will be relocated into an 830 sq ft repurposed shipping container.
RJP Town Planners submitted the application to Manchester City Council on behalf of The National Trust.
Twelve Architects has worked on this project since 2021 – Matt Cartwright, its founding director, said: “It has been a huge privilege to watch the Castlefield Viaduct project progress.
“Together, we continue to unlock the potential of the Viaduct, to connect the people of Manchester with nature, heritage, and community.”
Arup was charged with transport, fire, and acoustic assessments, as well as drawing up the structural remediation plans.
Others on the project team include BDP, Stace, and Purcell Heritage Consultants. Urban Green is charged with the ecology and biodiversity assessments.
Darrell Wilson, landscape architect at BDP, said: “During the development of the landscape strategy for this phase of the Viaduct, we have worked closely with Twelve Architects, Arup and the National Trust’s Gardens and Parks team to create a planting scheme that captures the essence of the long-term vision for the Sky Garden. The plans ensure the vision is viable, deliverable, sustainable and promotes a significant increase in biodiversity in the region.
“The introduction of the WaterAid Garden is a great addition to the project by National Trust, and will add another dimension to the scheme, perfectly complementing the key principles of the vision; connecting Manchester and its history with modern innovation and sustainability.”
The viaduct was built in 1892 by the same engineers who worked on the Blackpool Tower and was in use up until Manchester Central Station closed in 1969.
Having first opened in July 2022 as a pilot to gauge public opinion, the park has attracted more than 140,000 visitors.
- Watch Place’s video of the first phase of construction
Nicola Jacques, Castlefield Viaduct project manager at The National Trust, said: “We’ve been blown away by the passion, creativity, and local pride expressed towards the viaduct since it opened three years ago.
“It’s clear that Manchester wants the viaduct to remain open and reach its full potential to bring nature to more people in this urban setting.”
She added: “This journey can begin by opening access to the full deck of the viaduct and providing a canvas for future ideas and opportunities which we hope will attract investment from funders and partners.”
The full planning application can be viewed with 140875/FO/2024 on Manchester City Council’s planning portal.
- Plans include winding paths to encourage visitors to slow down and connect with the green space. Credit: Twelve Architects
- Designs reveal extension plans for Manchester’s ‘sky park’ giving visitors full access to the 330-metre length of Castlefield Viaduct. Credit: Twelve Architects
- Plans include a second entry and exit point on to the west side of Mancunian Way via a lift and stairway. Credit: Twelve Architects
- Phase 2 plans include the relocation of WaterAid’s Gold medal-winning garden from this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Credit: Twelve Architects
- The area which will be transformed as part of the Phase 2 extension. Credit: National Trust Images c Paul Harris
This could be absolutely transformative if you live that side of the ring road and work in the city centre. Those isolated flats around Porcelenosa suddenly have a traffic-free park route to Deansgate.
I hope it can get all the way to Pomona.
By Anonymous
Does it actually go anywhere? Wouldn’t it be more effective to put the plants where the people are? Isn’t this just a novelty?
By Anonymous
Visited twice. It was a delight, city centre too !
By Susan Stockton
READ THE ARTICLE BEFORE YOU COMMENT, Anon 12:05.!!
By Anonymous
Visited this during the summer and had a gig at Castlefield Bowl. I fell in love with the city all over again.
By Love from Widnes
Brilliant news, especially that the second access will allow it to be used as a through route
By Anonymous
I lived that side of town for 8 years, and only recently moved out. I’ve got to say giving people the option to avoid walking the ring road would be magnificent. Suddenly feel envious of anyway with that commute!
By lb
Next obvious step seems to be taking over the car park between it and the tram stop
By Anonymous
It’s very lovely as a visitor attraction, that has to be pre-booked most of the time, for fairly short visits to walk up and down looking at the plants, but it absolutely isn’t a park, and not what actual residents have been asking for.
Capped visitor numbers and pre-booking, closed of an evening even in summer, assistance dogs only, and no opportunities for any kind of spontaneous social gathering.
Real issue is that it gets used to say MCC & partners are making real progress on parks and open space in the centre, while hoovering up the funding that may be available for it.
By Lowline
@Anonymous (and the question does it go anyway). Yes… that is the whole point. It will connect Salford Quays with the eastern side of Manchester via continuous waterway and highline park. Pomona to Highline via the ship canal, Highline to Deansgate and then down onto the Rochdale canal through to Ancoats and beyond
By EOD