Central Retail Park demolition to begin in August
The long awaited development of the site on Manchester’s inner ring road has edged closer, with site notices posted declaring that demolition is to start on 20 August.
Demolition of the former retail units would enable the development of the site by Manchester Life, the city’s joint venture with Abu Dhabi United Group. Previous site owner TH Real Estate, which secured a consent for a £40m redevelopment in 2013 but was unable to deliver the project, finally sold the Central Park site to the city council in November 2017.
Paul Butler Associates is working for the city council as planning consultant on the process, and with vacant possession having been achieved at the end of May, has set the wheels in motion.
Mace is acting as project manager for the demolition programme, which will enable ground reporting and intrusive surveys that will form the basis of future development at the 10.5-acre site
The presence of the retail park has long been thought a barrier to the city’s ambitions to join up the development of the Northern Quarter and Piccadilly Basin on the inner side of Great Ancoats Street, and that which has taken place outside the ring road, from projects such as Chips and Royal Mills through to more recent developments around Cutting Room Square and a variety of Manchester Life projects.
Manchester City Council’s executive declared its intention when approving the site’s acquisition last year to establish a framework and commercial plan for the site, in partnership with ADUG. The site had previously been valued at £25m and could accommodate up to 1,500 homes at high density.
Brilliant.
By Thumbs Up
It’s good to see something happening, but really a golden opportunity is being missed here to connect the basin with the ring road and create a great city park.
By Lin
Lin, I guess a park is difficult if the site is valued at £25m? But the public realm included within the scheme will be important.
By Steve Nichol
Lin you are spot on.A womderful opportunity missed.A living bridge across from Great Ancoats street near Aldi and landscaped to the road with railings going straight to the pavement where the retail park is now and this could be linked to the new park at Mayfield with a bit of creativity.If they got rid of that car park they could use the amazing arch as the entrance to it on Dale street.
By Elephant
It’s a pity the Supermarket scheme didn’t go through before the collapse of the retailers’ new store programmes. City living is all very well, but a couple of Aldis and a Tesco Metro arent really enough.
Maybe the new Tram to Middleton will stop near the Tesco there?
By Anonymous
Hi there,
I was wondering if the demolition start date for mid August is still on schedule
By Chris Hall
More flats? we need more shops, more green areas, more community centre spaces. Manchester is going beyond a joke when it comes to building new accommodations. Enough!
By Matry