Manchester’s Albert Square transformation begins

Ground has been broken on the city council’s project to increase the size of the square, carry out resurfacing with granite sett paving and ultimately make the Town Hall more accessible.

Albert Square will grow by 20% according to the council’s plans, which were designed by landscape architect Planit-IE.

This will be done by closing the roads on two sides of the square and making them pedestrianised public space. When Adana Construction finishes its work on the site, only the Princess Street side of the square will be open to traffic.

This will be the first phase of the project, which is slated to complete next year. The entire project will finish in 2024. It will ultimately enhance the safety of the area, remove the old concrete barrier, reduce clutter, improve lighting and provide better infrastructure for events. As an added bonus, the transformed square will also make the Town Hall more accessible and provide the neighbouring restaurants with a chance to set up outdoor seating areas.

• Read more: Town Hall refurb ‘on track’ for 2024 completion

As part of the project, the surface of the square will be changed to granite sett paving, with yorkstone paving around it.

“Albert Square is the civic heart of Manchester – a place where people come together to celebrate, socialise and commemorate,” said Cllr Bev Craig, deputy leader for the council.

“These works will create a bigger and more flexible events space but also a more pleasant environment and cleaner air all year round,” Craig said. “We believe that when it is finished the transformed Albert Square will be one of the finest civic spaces in Europe, helping to create and support good jobs for Manchester people.”

Those behind Tampopo Pan-Asian restaurant, which sits on the edge of the square, said they were “excited” about the square project.

“It will be a challenging phase for businesses and customers alike over the coming months, but we are all working together to limit impacts of the works,” said chief executive officer David Fox. “We look forward to the results of the work and to being an integral part of Albert Square’s future.”