Muse adds £500m Wythenshawe to regen portfolio
The developer has been picked to breathe new life into what was once the largest council estate in Europe by delivering 1,750 homes over the next 10 years among a raft of interventions.
Muse was pushed all the way by Igloo Regeneration, the other party that made it to the final two in the competition for the £500m regeneration of Wythenshawe.
Phil Marsden, managing director for Muse in the North West, said Muse’s vision for Wythenshawe is “community-centric, climate-resilient, and inclusive”.
“We are extremely excited to be given this opportunity to deliver a vibrant new neighbourhood in Wythenshawe,” he said.
“Our team has engaged closely with the community and listened to local people. We will work with, and build on, what already makes Wythenshawe special. We are committed to addressing the challenges and seek to change perceptions. There is so much to be excited about.”
Muse is a prolific player in the regeneration game and is regularly there or thereabouts when councils are looking to appoint development partners.
The developer is delivering large-scale, publicly procured projects in Salford, Blackpool, Oldham, St Helens, and Stockport, among others – both alone and as part of English Cities Fund.
Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, said Muse’s track record for regenerating towns would pave the way for “genuine transformation”.
“Regeneration is about much more than buildings, it is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create jobs, deliver secure and affordable housing, tackle deprivation, strengthen community and create opportunity for the people of Wythenshawe,” she said.
“In the meantime, we are still progressing initial investment at the Civic – including the new public square, culture hub and food hall as a statement of intent around our ambition for Wythenshawe – there’s a lot to be excited about and we’ll keep the local community up to date on progress.”
The regeneration project could deliver 1,750 homes. Credit: via MCC
Manchester City Council acquired the 1970s Wythenshawe Civic Centre from St Modwen in 2022 to unlock the long-waited regeneration of the town centre.
As well as 1,750 homes, the city council’s vision for Wythenshawe features:
- A mobility hub
- The conversion of around 130,000 sq ft of upper floors into employment space
- 20,000 sq ft food and beverage destination
- Expanded retail offer
- New public square as part of public realm refresh
- 2.5-acres of public realm
- Cultural hub.
The city council has also identified several opportunity sites within the red line boundary, which include the former Shell HQ, the old bus station, Brotherton House, Barclays Data Centre, Forum car park, Alpha and Centron House, and the former Gala Bingo site.
Through the construction of sustainable buildings, the joint venture is aiming to make Wythenshawe the country’s first positive energy district.
The procurement exercise was managed on behalf of the Council by Savills and DWF Group.
A “positive energy district” – the boomers will love that one!
By Gen Z commenter
Good god, Muse Muse Muse, when will this stop. Does no LA have the ability to see beyond a slick PowerPoint presentation and look into the time their schemes take to deliver and their endless need for public sector financial support. A change is desperately needed. The risk of having so much with one party is clear to all. Expected better of MCC.
By Too late
Affordable homes to whom, this is one of the most deprived areas of the city, will it be locals buying these affordable homes?
By Bemused
This has all been said before. The Council destroyed what was great for Wythenshawe. A thriving Market, a beautiful Theatre and other facilities in the Forum. How long is this all going to take? Forever.
I was born and bred in Wythenshawe 86 years ago. I would love to see good community development for the area.
Make Wythenshawe proud again. May we have decent shops again one of everything as we had when Civic Centre was first built.
By Anonymous
can someone explain what a positive energy district is???!!!!
By Dave H
Whatever they do. The Hallifax Bank needs to stay.
By Anonymous
Why can we not redo the Bingo,it was a place where people used to meet up,lots of people still miss this. It could be altered to play bingo and also meeting place for the people of Wythenshawe. Run properly it could make money for Wythenshawe.
By Joyce
I HOPE WE GET A BEAUTIFUL CINEMA PLEASE
By ANTHONY WEST
Yep Boomers reallly don’t like absolute nonsense. Experience teaches you there are more important things to moan about than nonsense.This looks good though, 50 years of watching Benchill and Civic centre suffer massive underinvestment means major investment in any form is a bonus. Close to the airport and with tram connections mean’s Wythenshawe is definitely on the up, Gen Z or not !
By Gen Zero
Great for Wythenshawe, badly needed investment and regeneration.
By Anonymous
More housing is not going to do anything in wythenshawe. Need more access to shops, cinema.
No big Asda, no big morrisons other shops like marks & Spencer, banks outlet, robust car park for disabled. Wythenshawe is stinking…
By RajKumar
Make it vibrant like altrincham town centre
By John
I agree. Muse seem to have a monopoly on regeneration. Prestwich has been waiting for years supposedly starting the end of this year!!
By Chris
What a load of word vomit tosh. We just want a Lidl or an Aldi.
By Wythenshawe resident
Music and more shop Wythenshawe town centre cake shop, cinema, bowling,
By Cameron
“Word vomit tosh” or in Norse English (Northern dialect): either “blabber” (clever words but no real meaning) as in “blabbermouth”; or “blither” (nonsense without an meaning) as in “blithering idiotic”. Not a lot of folk know that.
By Anonymous
We need a proper bakery, fresh local products, veg and local growed cheese honey etc,I’m sick of coffee shops and phone shops, l still make an effort every week to go to the only proper butchers left in wythenshawe Wiltchers on the civic, can’t get proper bread, l have to go to Cheadle or Gatley.
By Gillian
It needs more, the average wage is 60k
By Elephant
Blah blah the council cannot sort the the present state of the place rubbish overgrown weeds poor waste collection
By Anonymous
Give us a start & completion date not a vision. Sick to death of hearing promises of the so called regeneration of Wythenshawe.Put up or shut up
By Mark Bradbury
I’m really excited and looking up to a bright future
By Paula