Consultation seeks views on regeneration plans for Wythenshawe town centre

Posted: 14/10/2022

Residents and businesses have until 25 November to comment on proposals to transform Wythenshawe town centre. 

Manchester City Council (MCC) completed the acquisition of the town centre from St Modwen Properties and initial plans for redevelopment have been drawn up for public consultation.

Responses can be submitted to the council’s website at manchester.gov.uk/consultations or proposals can be discussed in person with council officers at the former Peacocks store unit from 7 and 12 November, from 10am to 2pm each day.  

Laptops will also be available at the in-person events for those who prefer to submit their views online.

The development aims to deliver a new focal point for the community – to celebrate Wythenshawe’s garden city roots with a new boulevard-style public realm and civic square comprising new planting and trees. 

Thousands of new homes are also planned as part of the proposals on council-owned brownfield land next to the town centre. And investment in the neighbourhood will generated hundreds of new jobs for residents.

As reported in our September issue, the proposals for the town centre also include: 

• Culture hub: Artist studios, performance space and a community cinema in the former Co-op department store
• Food Hall: A large, flexible events space championing local produce by day and leading a new night-time economy comprising food, drink, live music, and street food 
• Employment spaces: Flexible employment spaces ranging from co-working through to a new enterprise centre for local start-ups, small and medium-sized businesses, also larger floorplate managed office space
• New civic square and public realm: A new focal point for community events with improved accessibility and naturally planted ‘sponge parks’ designed to increase biodiversity and manage excess water 
• Decarbonisation: Sustainable retrofit of existing buildings to improve energy performance and reduce carbon emissions plus the installation of solar PV cells on rooftop spaces

A £20m Levelling Up bid was submitted to Government in August. This would jumpstart the transformation and help realise the long-term vision for the centre. 

Cllr Gavin White, Manchester City Council’s executive member for housing and development, said: “Consultation is incredibly important at the beginning of a major regeneration programme like this. Feedback and input from local people about how their local town centre works for them is invaluable.

“We have big ambitions to improve the area for this community, but this only works if the result is welcomed by the very people that use it daily.

“Wythenshawe town centre has a huge amount of potential and this investment will help improve the offer for residents and attract people to the centre as well – while also creating new jobs and new homes for the community. 

“We have a real opportunity to create a town centre that benefits generations to come, so I would urge people to take part and take time to visit the drop-in. We really want to hear from you.” 

The city council now controls all 42 acres of the town centre after the long lease for the town centre was transferred from St Modwen Properties to MCC. The town centre is managed on behalf of the city council by Savills.

Image: Manchester City Council. View from Swan Walk area looking down the Birtles

Images are representative and final designs could change following consultation and planning.