Mancunians, rejoice…
Because the eyesore that has been Piccadilly Gardens’ very own ‘Berlin Wall’ is finally coming down… Well, at least part of it is.
The busy area of Manchester hasn’t quite resembled its ‘garden’ status for some time, being replaced with concrete, concrete and more concrete in recent years. Transforming from a place where citizens could sit and soak up the sun on the sunnier days, Piccadilly Gardens scrapped the majority of the grass and nature that made it a ‘garden’ and instead opted for a concrete space with a couple of floor water fountains. Charming.
Confirming the news just today, Manchester City Council has confirmed that the Council’s Executives will be asked to approve almost £2 million for the first phase of the area’s transformation.
As part of the transformation, Mancunians will be pleased to hear that the free-standing part of the giant, concrete wall will be removed, and a new concept for the space will be designed.
Speaking of the upcoming project, Sir Richard Leese, Leader of Manchester City Council, said:
“This is a key step in the transformation of Piccadilly Gardens. We have been listening to people’s views about the area and we are determined, working with principal landlords, businesses, residents and property owners in the nearby area, to support changes to make it a thriving and welcoming place.
“We know we have got to start investing in the area now to deliver a space which meets the aspirations of Manchester people. The fact that we are planning to commit so much funding to the first phase of the scheme alone hopefully underlines the extent of our commitment.”
A Manchester-based Landscape Architect has been appointed for the job, with residents invited to have their say on how the area will look this spring. The final design will take on board what Manchester residents want, with the Council determined to make Piccadilly Gardens a “vibrant and welcoming space with a family-friendly feel which will be adaptable for multiple uses such as play days, markets and cultural events.”