The regeneration of Wythenshawe town centre continues to accelerate as the Council decides on the appointment of a new development delivery and investment partner – in a report to the Council’s executive committee yesterday.
The opportunity is to transform the 1970s shopping centre and surrounding areas through an aspirational project that will deliver a new public square, new shops, net zero carbon commercial, community and cultural space, and more than 1750 new homes built on Council-owned land. The housing will be a mix of typologies and tenures to match local housing demand and will include affordable homes along with supported accommodation.
Earlier this year, the Council was awarded £20m grant funding through the Levelling Up Fund (LUF) programme. The Council will now complement this with a further £11.9m of match funding to deliver a new Culture and Creative hub, food hall, co-working and enterprise employment space, and investment in the Civic’s public realm.
However, over the lifespan of the long-term regeneration programme, the total investment will exceed £500m over the next 10 years with initial development work commencing as early as next year.
Culture Hub
A professional team has already been appointed to design a new Culture Hub, including an operational business model to ensure the hub is financially and operationally sustainable along with being able to support local people on a long-term basis. Following initial consultation in July this year, a feasibility study has now been approved and emerging plans will be subject to further public consultation.
Once the principles of the Culture Hub have been agreed, the Council will begin a process to appoint an operator to run and manage the hub. This will process will likely begin later this year.
Public Realm
A landscape design team has now been commissioned to map out opportunities to deliver a new public square, new connections, sustainable drainage and significant new green planting and play equipment. This work is currently at RIBA stage 2 and the Council has already commenced procurement of a contractor to deliver the works, subject to public consultation on the final designs. The Council is on track to appoint the contractor to deliver the new public square later this summer.
Work is ongoing on the feasibility options to deliver the food hall and co-working and employment spaces.
Joint Venture Delivery & Investment Partner
Following the acquisition of the Civic by the Council in 2022, it was envisaged that a private sector partner would be required to invest into and develop the Civic at scale to meet the regeneration ambitions set out in the development framework for the shopping centre.
The formal procurement process is now complete subject to approval by the Councils Executive. If approved, the successful partner will be announced in August following the formal call-in period.
The joint venture partner will:
- Deliver the regeneration programme set out by the development framework, including ability to invest upfront project funding
- Bring together technical expertise, supported by knowledge within the Council in both the new build development and the refurbishment of the shopping centre
- Build the housing needed that meets the needs of Wythenshawe people
- Work closely with the Council over the long-term and help realise the significant social and environmental benefits of the regeneration programme
A formal announcement of the successful partner will be made in the next four weeks.
In the meantime…
The Council has also been working with community organisations and enterprises to widen the offer at Wythenshawe Civic to increase footfall within the town centre and drive momentum ahead of the major investment beginning.
Monthly Makers Markets will begin from 3 August offering a range of independent stalls – from crafts to street food. The Maker Market brings together artisans, makers, bakers and other businesses in pop-up markets that have previously been held in Ancoats and Chorlton.
Following hosting an event earlier in the year, the Civic will also host regular bike workshops hosted by the Bike Kitchen, providing training, servicing and sales.
Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, said:
“We know this will be welcome news to the people of Wythenshawe as we stand at the dawn of a new era for their town centre.
“However, we also know that areas like Wythenshawe have seen higher rates of deprivation – and this extends to poorer health outcomes – but through strategic investment such as this, we can begin to create opportunities for these communities to share in the economic success of the city.
“This means the right housing – including council, social and genuinely affordable homes – new jobs, new shops and a neighbourhood that both meets their needs and a place they can be proud to spend time in. These are the building blocks for successful communities and this programme of regeneration will deliver for local people.”
Cllr Gavin White, Manchester City Council’s executive member for housing and development, said:
“Regeneration programmes of this size and ambition take some time to bring forward and although we understand that local people are very keen to see this investment take shape – as we are too – the work we are doing now will make sure we have a long-term, sustainable proposal that will benefit Wythenshawe people for years to come.
“In the meantime, we are working hard to bring forward impactful investment that will kick-start the long-term development of the Civic, including the Culture Hub and public realm improvements. Alongside plans to increase footfall to the town centre and attract new visitors to the area, such as bike repairs and local markets. “We are fully committed to the regeneration of Wythenshawe and we can’t wait to show local people what we have been doing so far and get their feedback.”
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