Planners have given the green light for the scheme to transform Piccadilly Gardens, with work able to start this autumn. The Council received no objections to the proposals, allowing officials to approve the full planning application without it needing to be considered at next month’s Planning Committee. The decision means that preparation works can continue, ready for the main works due to get underway in November.
The plan is for a more colourful, more vibrant, safer and more inviting Piccadilly Gardens. Key elements of the application include:
- Putting the ‘Gardens’ back in Piccadilly Gardens with more green space including lawn, trees, planting, seating and colourful horticultural displays
- Creating a new space for family-friendly events by removing the old fountains and providing an area for enjoyable activities throughout the year
- Making better use of space by removing the low concrete walls and raised planters near the Queen Victoria statue and improving the statue’s setting
- Refreshing the existing children’s play area with a new, larger playground for younger children, designed to match the quality of recent play areas at Mayfield Park and Ancoats Green.
The plans also support a safer space through improved sightlines, better lighting and enhanced CCTV.
The Council and partners are clear that delivering a better Piccadilly Gardens cannot just be about physical improvements but also requires changes to how the area is managed and maintained. This process has already begun, including a strengthened police presence, and a new management model is being developed to ensure improvements are sustained.
Once the physical works are completed, the Council aims to ensure a regular stream of bespoke family-friendly activity and seasonal events.
The new scheme will complement other changes in the immediate vicinity, including the major Rylands redevelopment of the Grade II-listed former Debenhams building, which will create a new office, retail and leisure destination, and the recently approved plans to refurbish and improve One Piccadilly Gardens.
Further planned improvements in the coming years include a multi-million-pound investment by Transport for Greater Manchester to create a new, modern transport interchange.
Councillor Garry Bridges, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “We’re getting on with the task of improving Piccadilly Gardens. It’s a big priority for me.
“Securing planning permission means that before this year is out, we can get started properly on work to transform the space and have it finished and ready for the public to use next year.
“Piccadilly Gardens has huge potential to be a real asset to the city and its people. We know it hasn’t been good enough – but that’s about to change.”
