Full steam ahead for Wythenshawe transformation
The city council now controls all 42 acres of the town centre after completing the purchase of St Modwen’s 350,000 sq ft retail complex.
Manchester City Council already had significant land holdings in Wythenshawe and the strategic acquisition of St Modwen’s long-leasehold on the civic centre means the authority can now put its plans into action.
Thousands of homes, a new civic square and “boulevard-style” public realm, a culture hub and food hall all feature within Manchester City Council’s vision for Wythenshawe.
“It’s encouraging to see the plans for Wythenshawe town centre move on at pace,” said Cllr Gavin White, Manchester City Council’s executive member for housing and development.
“We know it’s the heart of the local community and our ambition is to transform the centre and realise its massive potential for our residents who rely on it daily.”
A public consultation on the regeneration project will begin in the coming weeks.
Savills and 5plus Architects are advising the city council on its proposals, alongside Solid Ground and Amion Consulting.
The city council submitted a £20m Levelling Up Fund bid to the government in August with the hope of using the cash to jumpstart the transformation of Wythenshawe.
The main elements of the Levelling Up Fund bid are:
- 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 a 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 a 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 of 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.
In addition, thousands of new homes are to be built, including a significant number of affordable homes, on nearby council-owned brownfield land.
Nearby, Lidl is progressing plans for a supermarket on the former Gala Bingo site off Rowlandsway, which it acquired from the city council.
Appalled!You are making centre of Wythenshawe same as all redeveloped trendy places.Wythenshawe folk need cheap shops as most of us can’t afford trendy eateries and wouldn’t use them if we could.Younger new people might enjoy these plans but nothing for pensioners and those increasing numbers on low income.
By Anonymous
Dont fix was isnt broken…leave it alone
By Anonymous
Hmmmm sounds like a slum of the future to me. Wythenshawe has some lovely ex council housing. Why don’t they build proper homes for people with a garden instead of a box ticking woke plan that no-one will want or use
By Anonymous
This will be great for wythenshawe, we need a new contemporary style town centre, the current one is tired dated and frankly depressing. Put in a cinema while your at it!
By Thomas
The article mentions one of the most affordable retail chains in the country and people still moan about a regeneration project that’s going to improve the area significantly.
By Anonymous
We want shops not over priced food halls or evening entertainment areas. People of Wythenshaw don’t have the money to eat in posh food halls or go out at night. If we wanted that kind of lifestyle we can get a bus to Sale where the Council have removed all the shops for trendy overpriced food outlets. Leave the shops in Wythie alone, we need cheap shops selling cheap items, that is how we are forced to make ends meet.
By Anonymous
What is going to make people buy in the food hub when they wouldn’t use the old indoor market? We had a fresh fish stall cheese and egg counter,cooked meats and fresh meat stalls and lovely bread,all gone!!!!!!!!!!
By Anonymous
Will there still be a variety of shops including affordable fashion retailers or will it be similar to the changes in Sale with shops being replaced by unaffordable trendy eateries.
By Annette Wild
Can anyone explain how council’s have money to buy shopping centres and land
But every April they cry poverty and put the council tax up ? ? ?
By Anonymous
It’s not all these posh shops that the Wythenshawe people won’t be able to afford to shop in it needs, It needs the market back
By Anonymous
About time Wythenshawe got some funding. We deserve so much more than the current centre and really hope there will be a mixture of shops and spaces for all ages. Good News!
By Anonymous
The thing is – midlanders and northerners voted for Levelling Up at the last election. If it works the logical conclusion is there won’t be ‘posh’ and ‘common’ areas any more but Wythenshawe and Sale will become similarly rich. You can’t have it both ways.
By MG
On returning from the airport earlier this year on the tram I thought Wythenshawe looked well-maintained, green and had lots of space. The houses looked generally well-kept with nice gardens and it looked much nicer than some parts of Manchester. From what I saw, it should be seen as a success story.
By Elephant
So, not happy with gentrifying other working class areas of Manchester, this council have now moved on to Wythenshawe. When they talk about affordable homes, they don’t mean council houses, they mean new homes for what I call “trendies” – young people with money who will overtake the area and squeeze out the existing community like they have in Ancoats. You only have to read the buzz words the council use in their description of the new development. I would advise the people of Wythenshawe to fight this development all the way or see yourselves marginalised. They don’t care about people that live there now, just attracting new people into the area who have money. Don’t let it happen.
By Pam R
Lots of Chinese funding here.
By Eric
Not young people! Whatever next.
By Preston Ordinary
I have lived in Wythenshawe all my life and it’s about time civic centre had a much needed make over.
However I do agree with some of the other comments on here about affordable shops for the local people.
It is pointless spending millions on improving an area that is mostly a working & and benefit class population then most people will either be unable to afford to purchase from these new shops and restaurants or local people who have shops here already will be unable to afford new expensive rents and existing small businesses will have to close .
If it is going to work it will need a good mix of affordable shops and restaurants for the local population but also new and exciting places that will bring in more trade from outside the area and allow it to continue to grow and prosper.
By A Lees
It’s a shame, but there’s absolutely no reason to go to civic centre after 8pm. I’m not sure if this regeneration plan will address the fact that, unlike most town centres in the country, there’s no places for entertainment in Wythenshawe. Instead we have to travel to other parts of the city to watch a film, eat a decent meal etc. Until you can attract people from outside the town, civic will remain a soulless no-go zone.
By Anonymous
What a load of moaning ! This will be good for the area , I am not young trendy or rich but I am happy for this to happen and long overdue !
By J
Wythenshawe back in the day was the place to be. Its about time it was put back on the map again we had the best market we had the best square. Wythenshawe civic centre needs a total revamp. I welcome it. You bitter people who are opposed to it. Get a life. Look at Didsbury look at Manchester City centre look at Cheadle. How many of you go out around Wythenshawe unless you’re on civic centre or in the silver birch or at the cafe. Have some vision. A change will bring jobs more money into the place. Or do you just want to sit on your mobility scooters eating crappy sausage rolls from Greggs.
By Karl murphy
Could do with some entertainment for kids, that’s not to costly and hope you don’t put expensive shops there. Will be good for the community needs to be upgraded, but please think about the local people
By Ls
Amazing, can’t wait! Lets go 👏🏼😍🙌🏼
By Ashton Webster
It’s desperate for a re vamp but please leave all the shops that people can afford to buy from, start putting the likes of a M&S there will be a waste of money we need the £ shop B&M card factory ect
By Tina
About time sometime was done with all the empty building and the housing is needed in the area hope it will happen
By Anonymous
Put your boots on the ground. Speak to local people and find out what they want or need. Don’t presume to know. Wythenshawe is massive. We need decent clothes shops, entertainment for young and old, a decent outdoor and indoor market because at the moment you can’t even buy cooked or fresh meats unless they’re out of a packet.
By Anonymous
How many times has wythenshawe supposedly been regenerated to the detriment of local people
By Anne
I’ve lived in Wythenshawe for 30 odd years and I used to love going to civic, but not any more! It’s about time we got modernised, something like Didsbury or Altrincham, with a cinema complex, nice places to eat of an evening, and a productive market hall again. Why can’t we have a bit of a European “cafe culture” that we all enjoy on our holidays. Yes, they need to still cater for those who haven’t got much money to throw around, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t be a nice area, with lots of greenery and seating spaces. I do think though that they should be building more social housing, and not just apartments either. I personally would love an IKEA as well, but doubt very much that we’ll get one! All in all I’m looking forward to civic getting a much needed makeover!
By Karen
About time Wythenshawe has been forgotten for many years. Plenty of houses being built but nowhere for the people to go ,no market the pubs all but decimated can’t wait for it to come alive again
By Anonymous
This is good news for Wythenshawe. It will bring jobs and investment which will help reduce the numbers on benefits. Yes low price shops are needed but there is nothing in this proposal about removing those. Lots of people moaning, why not aspire to improve people’s livelihoods and raise standards of income rather than accepting Wythenshawe is a “benefits area” as someone put it.
By Anonymous
Why does everything have to be a creative hub, why cant they actually build stuff the residents will use. spruce up the centre create a vibrant affordable market similar to bury market without it being to pretentious food hall. people need to realise you can make a nice town centre without it being pretentious. A few restaurants would also be beneficial to the centre.
By Anonymous
Wythenshawe tram stop is regular attacked by local youths . These youths are responsible for a lot of anti-social behaviour . There is no where for them to meet up . When l was growing up, there were youth clubs. This taught you values, respect. This is lacking into todays youth .
Also, feel there needs to a hub for people to meet up . There’s a lot of lonely people in Wythenshawe. A space to meet , speak , offer support and advise. In the current climate and the cost of living, this could be a life line to do many .
By Anonymous
Looks great, and much needed for the Civic Centre, who are the Landscape Architects involved in this wonderful looking scheme ?
By Miles Dexter