Following on from the news of the archways near HOME getting a fresh look, plans to turn a row of railway arches in Manchester into shops, bars, restaurants and cafes have now been revealed. The ten arches located on Corporation Street near Red Bank, many of which currently sit empty, are due to be developed as part of a £4 million scheme.
These railway arches in Manchester, not far from The Sparrows and soon-to-open Half Dozen Other bakery, form part of a national project led by The Arch Company to bring 1,000 empty or derelict spaces across England and Wales back in use by 2030. Historically, the arches were predominantly used for industrial purposes however under these plans submitted to Manchester City Council they could become a new dining and shopping destination.
Documents submitted with the planning application describe the arches as appearing “dirty” due to graffiti and the effects of pollution and water damage. The Arch Company says its investment in them – which is part of the £200m Project 1000 scheme – will help these “prominently located units to realise their potential and create a vibrant environment for the people of the city”.
The Arch Company already has schemes already underway in Manchester including the redevelopment of arches on Temperance Street and Bennett Street. The developer became responsible for 253 spaces across Manchester and Salford in 2019, after purchasing 5,200 spaces in total from Network Rail.
It says that this is the biggest concentration of railway arches outside of London. At the point of sale, 1,400 spaces were left vacant, and required significant investment and development before they could be occupied.
Arch 5, better known as the Pop-up Bikes shop, which sits between arches 4 and 6 on Corporation Street is occupied and will remain tenanted throughout the redevelopment. The arches beyond Arch 11 are not part of this project and are not affected by this development, according to the planning documents.