Shop move to trigger North Manchester regen  

Plans have been lodged to relocate Moston Superstore, helping to unlock a proposed public square as part of a £25m vision.

Pending planning permission, the Moston Superstore will move the short distance from Pym Street to a site on Kenyon Lane currently occupied by the Ebsworth Street car park, providing a new and larger food shop, along with dedicated car parking and cycle store.

MSI Architecture has designed the proposed 7,500 sq ft shop, with Roman Summer advising on planning.

The building will include two storeys and a basement. Twenty six car parking spaces are included.

Manchester City Council, for which Moston Lane represents one of the initial locations targeted by its High Street Investment programme, said that existing parking on Pym Street will remain open to the public.

Also, empty sites on Albine Street and Cole Street, formerly used by Manchester College, will be reopened for public use later this year as local parking provision is reshuffled.

The council has now acquired key sites between Pym Street and Hartley Street, meaning that the former supermarket site will be cleared to build a new public square facing onto Moston Lane, providing a new focal point for the community.

The space is expected to be flexible to allow markets and community events, with new seating, lighting, trees, and planting, helping to attract shoppers and visitors to support local businesses.

To date, MCC’s Moston programme has seen social housing  – more than £3m of government grant has been levered in – along with pocket parks and green spaces. Other improvements include junction enhancements, road safety works, new alley-gates and investment to tackle fly-tipping and environmental issues.

On Moston Lane itself, park improvements were joined last year by investment in the Simpson Memorial Hall and Community Hub.

Alongside the new public square, the 2023 framework setting out development potential indicated that the vacant sites behind Moston Lane could also accommodate around 80 new homes – potentially a mix of apartments and townhouses, including social housing, along with supporting retail.

A further 30 to 40 homes are planned for a site between Waterman close and Ebsworth Street to the south of Moston Lane.

MCC said that draft designs for the new square and homes will be published once it has selected a developer. That process is expected to conclude in the coming months, at which point there will be consultation.

In the meantime, MCC has set up a Moston advisory group chaired by local councillor Cllr Paula Appleby.

Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council said: “We have ambitious plans to see over £25m investment into Moston Lane and this is a significant milestone for the Moston community as this planning application marks an important step in creating a brand-new public square at the heart of the neighbourhood.

“We know that Moston people are proud and ambitious for their area and want to see a new public square, thriving local high street and new homes. That’s why we are supporting the relocation of the Superstore – taking this important independent local shop and helping it grow to serve local people for generations to come, while also building new social rent and genuinely affordable homes, investing in local green spaces, and supporting a high street that the community can be proud of.”

Haider Jan Jaji, owner of the Moston Superstore, said: “For many years we have proudly served Moston, offering fresh food and groceries to our local community. This move is an incredibly exciting chapter for our business – one that will help us to grow and allow us to continue to be at the heart of the neighbourhood for many years to come. It’s great to be part of the future of Moston Lane.”

The plans can be viewed on MCC’s planning portal with the reference 144823.