At last!
Announcing the news just today, Manchester City Council has revealed that plans to demolish part of the concrete wall (which has upset many Mancs eyes greatly) have been approved.
Set to be the first stage of a huge overhaul of the city centre space, the wall, which is placed between the gardens and the bus station, will finally be knocked down – with councillors hoping that the work will be carried out within the next few weeks. Speaking of the approval, Cllr Pat Karney said: “We’ve waited for this for over a decade,
“It’s a symbol of the renewal of Piccadilly Gardens – it’s the first step but there’s a lot more to come.”
#Painting by L.S. Lowry "Piccadilly gardens" https://t.co/2sB9TZKJ8s pic.twitter.com/rLXQcdVpnm
— The Northern School (@Bestnorthernart) August 7, 2020
Plans began making headway earlier this year in March, with a £2 million first-stage plan being submitted for approval before lockdown. It’s reported that the full makeover, which is yet to be finalised, will cost approximately £10 million. It is hoped by many residents that the famous ‘gardens’ will finally resemble its former glory, after years of acting as a concrete playground for drug dealers and attracting anti-social behaviour.
TEAR DOWN THAT WALL 👷♀️
Yesterday, permission was finally granted to bring down the concrete wall in Piccadilly Gardens. This will allow better line of site & is the first step in the council's ambitious plans for the renewal of Piccadilly Gardens.#PiccadillyWard#TearDownThisWall pic.twitter.com/BGNMdfNiv0— Cllr Jon-Connor Lyons 🐝 (@JonConnorLyons) August 14, 2020
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 architect has been appointed for the project, 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.”