A report going in front of Manchester Ckuncil next week will see the appointment of a new development delivery and investment partner in the regeneration of Wythenshawe Town Centre
The planned redevelopment of the 1970’s designed area will see 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
Manchester Council was awarded £20m grant funding through the Levelling Up Fund (LUF) programme.
It 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.
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.”
