June start for Chorlton Cross demolition
With the South Manchester shopping centre set to be replaced by a residential-led scheme, the precinct car park will be closed at the end of May as contractor SJ Walchester prepares its clearance programme.
Following planning approval at the end of 2025 for PJ Livesey’s proposals, phase one of the regeneration involves dismantling the former Chorlton Cross Shopping Centre and Graeme House buildings.
The first step will be to close the precinct car park. At the same time, new hoardings will be installed around the site and the cut-through via Manchester Road to Nicolas Road will be closed to pedestrians and vehicles.
Demolition work will be carried out by Stoke-on-Trent based SJ Walchester and is expected to begin in mid- June and complete in August. Where possible, materials from the existing buildings will be reused during construction of the new neighbourhood.
Georgina Lynch, managing director at PJ Livesey, said: “Demolition marks another major milestone for the project which will completely transform the former shopping centre.
“Keeping local people safe and minimising disruption is our top priority. We’ve been working with the existing traders to carefully manage any disruption during the demolition. This has included arranging new servicing access for the businesses on Wilbraham Road.
“Our demolition contractor will carefully manage any issues throughout the work, and we will continue to stay in regular contact with local residents and businesses as the demolition progresses.”
With designs by Feilden Clegg Bradley, Manchester-based PJ Livesey is working in partnership with the Greater Manchester Pension Fund.
The approved plans include:
- 262 one-, two- and three-bed apartments, all with access to outdoor space through balconies and gardens
- 53 affordable homes available through a mix of tenures, with 49 of these being available for social rent through Southway Housing Trust
- Around 37,000 sq ft of public open space, including a fully walkable route through Manchester Road and outdoor seating areas
- A mix of flexible retail spaces including a new ‘Makers Yard’ suitable for smaller, start-up businesses
- Up to 60 new trees across the site with maximised retention of existing trees.
The neighbourhood will be all-electric.
Throughout the planning process, the scheme raised the ire of some Chorlton residents, generating more than 1,300 representations ahead of the scheme’s consideration. Many were upset about the height of the development, which will come in blocks of 10, eight, six and four storeys. Approval was granted just before Christmas.
Still family-run, PJ Livesey has been in business for more than 45 years, mostly working on redeveloping historic properties into new homes and redeveloping brownfield regeneration sites. The firm was recently selected as one of Homes England’s preferred delivery partners.
Related Articles
Analysis - Commentary
IRA bomb did not define Manchester’s future
The 30th anniversary on Monday will again attract misplaced credit to the bomb for changing the fate of Manchester and being responsible for a large rebuilding programme. Here are five things that were more important in the making of modern Manchester, and all came before 1996, Paul Unger writes.
That area has been sad for too long. This is welcome progress 🙂
By Yay!
Fantastic. Slow to get going but good to finally get rid of the eyesore that is Graeme house.
Walking around this bank holiday weekend with all of chorlton teeming with life and people enjoying themselves I struggle to see the negative impression of a place on the decline that is often discussed here.
By Chorlton resident
Great, more traffic, what climate crisis?
By Anonymous
Subject to planning permission being granted presumably?
Does PNW not fact check developers press releases anymore?
By UnaPlanner
Planning permission for the demolition was granted last year. The reference number is 141706/DEM/2024. Hope this helps.
By Julia Hatmaker
Great news. This is a good scheme for Chorlton, despite what the NIMBYs say. Bringing life and residents into the centre of Chorlton will only be a good thing for shops, bars and restaurants. Looking forward to seeing it happen.
By D
Great news. As a new resident to Chorlton I am excited to see this take shape and breathe even more life into the already bustling suburb.
By James
This is only going to enhance the area further. Fantastic place to live.
By Jordan Lazenbury
I’m a new resident of chorton and was always saddened by the old shopping centre being deralict
By Andrew Gregor McGillivray
Where will disabled people park and other when the existing car park is closed especially those visiting the Doctor at Chorlton family practice
By Anonymous
Will the price of the 53 “affordable” homes be significantly above the market value, just like the Gecko development at the Conservative Club?
By Gigantic Steve
Interesting that the picture shows a four storey building. 19 storeys will be a monstrous blot on the landscape as Graeme House is now. It should have been developed as social houses with gardens. Not a town centre neighbourhood in a district centre setting. We have been let down badly. Take a look at how high the 5 storey building is on the old baths site and double it. 1,500 objections.
By Anonymous Chorlton resident.
Despite what the Chorlton nimby’s say this will be great for the area. The previous shopping centre was tired and passed it’s sell by date.
By Anonymous
Real shame there’s no supermarket or larger floor plan retail. Missed opportunity for Chorlton.
By Bob Allatt
As someone old enough to have found his first proper job written on a card in the Job Centre in Graeme House, I can say the precinct and that entire area has been dated and tired for at least 30 years.
This new development will be fantastic for the area, and the extra residents living in the heart of Chorlton will create more demand for useful everyday retail outlets – which will surely please the long-time locals who often grumble that the place is only made up of takeaways and restaurants these days, despite the fact they do all of their shopping in supermarkets or online anyway which has caused the smaller retailers previously there to close or move.
By Joe
Pulling down one monstrosity to build another is progress but not the change that is required. No mention of where thr hundreds of new owners of these flats are going to park their many vehicles, which at the very least should feature at the top of any checklist, given the manner in which surrounding streets are choked with parked vehicles day and night. These type of developments and developers promise much but Manchester City Council must monitor what they plan is fully delivered!
By Anonymous