Wythenshawe momentum builds with food hall plans

A dining destination is to be created within two vacant and one soon-to-be-vacant retail units on Hale Top as part of the ongoing regeneration of the civic centre.

Proposals for the food hall add to the growing sense of momentum at Wythenshawe Civic, which has been building since Manchester City Council acquired it from St Modwen in 2022.

Plans for a 30,000 sq ft Culture Hub opposite the food hall and the first wave of 442 homes have been submitted in recent weeks.

The food hall has been designed by IF DO, with Asteer advising on planning, and would be located within a trio of vacant units next to the former Peacocks store, which has now been demolished to pave the way for a new public square.

Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, said the scheme comes as a result of speaking with local people.

“Listening to local people over the last year and more, we know that Wythenshawe residents want more from their town centre – more things to do, opportunities to spend time in Civic and night time attractions that give the area a lift and attract visitors.

“This is the drive behind the Culture Hub. A place for local people with an interest in the arts to take part in creative activities, see a show or enjoy the cinema space – right in the heart of their community. This is another exciting chapter in the transformation of Wythenshawe Town Centre.”

Muse was appointed as the city council’s development partner for the regeneration of Wythenshawe in 2024.

Joel Chandler, senior development manager at Muse, added: “We’re moving at pace with our plans to give the town centre the regeneration it deserves. The food hall will be a hive for a range of local outlets and will provide new spaces for the community to spend time in and give the town’s nighttime economy a major boost.

“We’re already talking with potential vendors about taking space in the food hall following some great conversations with the local community about what types of cuisine they would like to see. The aim is to ensure there’s something for everyone and share the very best of what Wythenshawe has to.”

Civic has secured £20m from the government and just shy of £12m from the city council to date. The masterplan is residential-led and will see 2,000 homes delivered over the next 10 to 15 years.

To view the planning application documents, visit Manchester City Council planning portal using reference: 145125/FO/2026

Shift PM, Civic, Arcadis, TACE, BB7, Safer Sphere, and MZA Acoustics make up the project team.