It seems town centres are improving all over Greater Manchester at the moment, whether it’s making things more sustainable, or bringing the community together. The latest area to get a lick of paint is Chorlton, the Manchester suburb just a short tram ride south west of the city centre, the future vision of which is up for consultation with the local community.
A new plan for Chorlton’s district centre is being considered by the Council – and local people and businesses have been urged to give their feedback. The aim of the Public Realm Plan is to ensure the centre of Chorlton remains an attractive, welcoming and accessible space for local people and visitors to enjoy.
The draft Public Realm Plan will help guide investment in the area’s public spaces in the coming years – and is part of a city-wide focus on local district centres to ensure they can benefit from emerging regeneration opportunities.
There are a number of development opportunities in the neighbourhood that will be brought forward in the years ahead – most immediately the new affordable older person’s housing at the former leisure centre site – making now a good time to put in place a vision for how the Chorlton public realm could be improved in the future.
An improved public realm will also benefit the local commercial, retail and food and drink offering – and has been drafted to be flexible to ensure it remains relevant as new opportunities arise.
The Chorlton vision looks to:
- Assess Chorlton’s existing public spaces and streets, how they are used now, and how they could be improved in the future;
- Create a distinct district centre plan to illustrate a range of possible projects that could be endorsed by the local community and be used as the basis for future funding bids;
- And finally, the plan proposes concept designs at three key locations: outside Chorlton Library, at Four Banks, and at High Lane Junction.
The public consultation is now live and will remain open until 19 March 2024, available here.
There will also be two in-person consultation events:
- Thursday 7 March, 3–7pm at Chorlton Central Church
- Saturday 9 March, 1–4pm at Oswald Road Primary School
Cllr Gavin White, Manchester City Council’s executive member for housing and development, said: “We have made a clear commitment to focus on our district centres across Manchester and ensure our local high streets are vibrant, attractive and welcoming spaces for local people and visitors.
“These centres are the beating hearts of our communities, and their strength is in providing a range of vital local services on the doorsteps of our residents. The economic prosperity of these spaces is directly linked to the prosperity of the wider local neighbourhood – and the right investment is crucial to support their continued success.
“Chorlton will welcome a number of key developments in the coming months and years – and this is the community’s opportunity to help guide how their high street and public spaces will look and feel in the years ahead.”
Of course, we’ll be keeping watch for any updates on improvements to Chorlton and its future vision, so stay tuned.