Plans for a new major urban park at the former Central Retail Park site have been submitted to planners.
Designed in collaboration with landscape architects Planit-IE the investment will transform the long-term brownfield site, delivering a high quality, attractive green space in Manchester’s city centre – while also connecting to the existing Cotton Field Park behind and through to Ancoats and New Islington.
Providing a green buffer to Great Ancoats Street, the tiered design will navigate the site’s various level changes, creating accessible pathways through the playful, garden-style elements.
A central lawn and plaza tie together the wider development of the site, offering a tranquil space where people can unwind and escape the bustle of the city centre, alongside a play area for young people.
The new park will complement the wider first phase of development of the former retail site, which will be developed separately by the Government Property Agency (GPA), to create a state-of-the-art digital campus. The office complex will bring together a number of Civic Service departments with a focus around digital skills, and will support around 7,000 Civil Service jobs.
A second phase of development will be brought forward by the Council at a later date. More information will be made available in due course.
