Transformative plans for Piccadilly Gardens are being shared with Manchester people ahead of a full planning application being submitted this summer.
The vision behind the scheme – to make Piccadilly Gardens more colourful, more vibrant, safer and more inviting – was announced by the Council last autumn, with indicative images released to give a flavour of improvements.
Since then, a delivery team has been appointed to design and build the scheme. The team has developed a detailed scheme to make that vision a reality. Newly-released images show for the first time how the designed scheme will look.
Key elements include:
- Putting the ‘Gardens’ back in Piccadilly Gardens – more green space including lawn, trees, planting, seating andcolourful horticultural displays.
- A new space for family-friendly events - removing the old, unreliable fountains and creating a new space to hold enjoyable events and activities throughout the year. A new, flexible structure – referred to as The Welcome Pavilion – will be built on part of the space to help support regular activity.
- Better use of space -Ripping out the unsightly low concrete walls and raised planters along the edge of Piccadilly Gardens, close to the Queen Victoria statue, and improving the statue’s setting.
- Refreshing the existing children’s play area – creating a new, larger playground for younger children. This will be of the same high quality as recently-created new play areas such as those at Mayfield Park and Ancoats Green but designed specifically to suit Piccadilly Gardens.
A pre-planning consultation around the plans starts today, Wednesday 17 June, and will run until Wednesday 15 July with a view to a final planning application for the scheme being made this summer.
Previous consultations have captured people’s opinions on Piccadilly Gardens, its challenges and what people want to see there – and these views have been heard loud and clear. This pre-planning consultation does not repeat what has gone before. Instead it sets out how the designs have responded to those views and asks for feedback on them to help inform the final planning submission.
Council Leader Cllr Bev Craig said: “We’re getting on with sorting out Piccadilly Gardens. We all want to see a space which Mancunians can be proud of – a welcoming and attractive environment which people want to spend time in.
“So as well other initiatives which are delivering more police and more CCTV, we’re bringing forward this scheme to transform the public space. That means investment in more flowers, more greenery, a new welcome pavilion, a new and bigger playground and an altogether more inviting Piccadilly Gardens. A bright new chapter is just around the corner.”
The Council and partners know that delivering a better Piccadilly Gardens cannot just be about physical improvements but requires improvements to how the area is managed and maintained – ensuring that it is not just better-looking but also better looked-after. This process has already started with changes including a strengthened police presence through GMP’s dedicated neighbourhood policing team, set up to tackle issues and concerns in Piccadilly Gardens, and improvements underway to CCTV. A new management model for Piccadilly Gardens is being developed in tandem with the physical plans and more details will be announced in due course with a fresh approach to public – private partnerships, community involvement and civic pride.
Once the physical works are completed, the Council aims to ensure a regular stream of bespoke family-friendly activity and seasonal events to enjoy.
The new scheme will complement other changes taking place in the immediate vicinity of the Gardens, including the major Rylands redevelopment (of the Grade II-listed former Debenhams building) which is creating a new office, retail and leisure destination, and the recently-approved plans to refurbish and improve One Piccadilly Gardens .
Further planned improvements to the area around Piccadilly Gardens in the coming years will include a multi-million pound investment by Transport for Greater Manchester to create a new, modern transport interchange.
The consultation runs until Wednesday 15 July with a view to a planning application for the transformed Piccadilly Gardens being submitted in the coming weeks. More information can be found at www.manchester.gov.uk/piccadillygardens In addition, people will be able to view the proposals, talk to the team involved and provide feedback during three half day drop-in sessions at Manchester Art Gallery in Mosley Street, just down the road from Piccadilly Gardens. Sessions will be held on Tuesday 23 June (1pm-5pm), Friday 26 June (10am-2pm) and Saturday 27 June (11am-3pm.) Engagement sessions around the plans for an enlarged play area will also be held in early years settings and schools.
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