Manchester Council’s Executive Committee are set to approve plans to open up the River Irwell in a master plan which they hope will transform Manchester’s so called Medieval Quarter centred around the Cathedral.
The plans, submitted by architects SimpsonHaugh, will they say open up a new visitor experience for both the Cathedral and Chetham’s and allow both organisations and the National Football Museum to organise outside events in the new space.
Among the plans are a new sculpture park on the river celebrating significant people and events in the story of Manchester, and the creation of new pedestrian routes, reinstating historical linkages along Hunts Bank.
There will be a new setting for the Cathedral main entrance, the Reintegration of Hanging Ditch and the Cathedral crypt arches and the reestablishment of the historic ‘Apple Market’, linking the Cathedral and Chetham’s.
The plans also allow for an improved arrival route into the city from Victoria Station and updated formal gardens in front of Chetham’s School of Music and the station.
The architects intend to use willow trees [‘withies’] alluding to the original ‘Withy Grove’ while there will be new landscaping, which incorporates the ‘First Ditch’ archaeological site, which will help to integrate Chethams into the wider Medieval Quarter landscape.
The proposed first phase of development (Phase 1A) is focused on Victoria Street and is the last piece of the original Manchester Millenium masterplan which included the establishment of the Urbis gardens. This phase would also complement a Heritage Lottery Fund bid being developed by Manchester Cathedral for improvements to their West Wing, if approved.
The Executive Committee will be told the masterplan will contribute to the success of City Centre North, which will be a regionally significant, new commercial district within the regional centre, assisting the wider city region in achieving its economic growth potential and proposes significantly improved public realm, making the area more attractive to residents, workers and visitors.
It will see the delivery of new and desirable public realm including expanding the area’s green space and proving additional tree coverage, enhancing the amenities for residents, workers and visitors to the city centre.
Some concerns have been expressed which are highlighted in the report, among them the increased incidence of rough sleeping, begging and littering in the area, while Friends of Manchester Peace Gardens wanted the original Peace zgarden statue from St Peter’s Square to be located there. However,says the report, due to the constraints of the Medieval Quarter and its adjacency to a major transport hub, it was felt that this is not the most appropriate area to locate the Peace Gardens.
Following the appraisal of a number of city centre locations in collaboration with the Friends of the Manchester Peace Gardens, it has been identified that one of the most suitable sites would be Lincoln Square
