A significant public consultation has commenced concerning the plans for Manchester’s former Central Retail Park. Launched collaboratively by Manchester City Council and the Government Property Agency (GPA), this initiative aims to collect feedback from local residents, businesses, and stakeholders to shape the proposed development of a new government digital campus and city centre park.
In March 2023, an updated Strategic Regeneration Framework (SRF) was agreed upon by the local authority, outlining the development principles for the site. The framework emphasises creating low carbon commercial office space and high-quality, accessible green space to support Manchester’s economic growth.
In May 2024, the GPA exchanged contracts to acquire five acres of the former Central Retail Park in Ancoats from the city council, intending to construct a state-of-the-art government digital campus. This future office complex is poised to house around 7,000 civil servants, focusing on digital skills, thereby creating substantial employment and contributing to the wider economic landscape.
The envisioned park space, designed with the expertise of landscape architects Planit-IE, is set to bolster the city’s existing green areas. This includes enhanced access to Cotton Field Park and Ancoats Marina and the introduction of new walking routes, linking to other active travel investments in Ancoats, the Northern Quarter, and towards the Etihad Campus.
Detailed design work will proceed post-consultation to develop a park area comparable in size to Ancoats Green, with further development across the site to follow subsequently. Additional information will be disclosed in the later development phases.
Public consultation begins on Tuesday, September 10, allowing local individuals and businesses to provide feedback either online or at two scheduled in-person events at Halle St Peter’s, 40 Blossom Street, Ancoats. The sessions will run from 12 pm to 2:30 pm and 5 pm to 7 pm.
The consultation period will conclude on September 23, 2024. Feedback gathered will be integral in finalising the proposals, after which separate planning applications will be submitted.
Councillor Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council stated, “We are beginning to see the potential of this site unlocked and the plans being developed by the council and the GPA meet the ambitions we have for this important site – including a new city centre park and digital campus that will be home to 7,000 civil servant jobs. The new park will help meet demand for high-quality green space in the city centre and will complement other green investments in this neighbourhood.”
Mark Bourgeois, Interim CEO at the GPA, expressed enthusiasm about the collaborative effort with Manchester City Council to regenerate this significant area of Manchester. He remarked, “The GPA is also proud to be creating fantastic and sustainable workplaces to support the transformation of the civil service, and we are committed to growing its presence in Manchester, drawing on and helping to grow the city’s pool of talent.”
He further added, “This proposed development builds on the work the council and the GPA undertook last year in putting in place an updated Strategic Regeneration Framework and the shared ambition to regenerate the Ancoats former retail site, creating employment and wider business opportunities, supported by the digital campus.”
The consultation is a pivotal step towards realising the ambitious plans for the former Central Retail Park. The collaboration between Manchester City Council and the GPA aims to bring substantial economic, social, and environmental benefits to the city, fostering growth and development.