A long-awaited addition to Manchester’s expanding tram network could finally open by the start of the next decade.
City leaders have named a possible opening date for the new Metrolink stop at Sandhills, positioned between Collyhurst and Manchester city centre.
The proposed stop, located near Sandhills Park just off Rochdale Road, has been years in the making as part of the £4 billion Victoria North regeneration project – one of the largest urban redevelopment schemes in the UK. The plan will deliver nearly 20,000 new homes, stretching from Angel Meadow northwards to Collyhurst.
New Metrolink stop – Sandhills opening date
Council officials describe the new station as “a fundamental piece of enabling infrastructure,” designed to unlock high-density housing in the emerging Vauxhall Gardens neighbourhood, between Red Bank and Collyhurst. The stop would sit between Victoria and Queens Road on the Bury Metrolink line, improving connectivity for thousands of future residents.
Gavin White, Manchester’s Executive Member for Housing and Development, said the aim is for housing and transport to progress hand in hand. “The idea is the tram stop develops as we develop further housing,” he told councillors this week. “Already hundreds of people live nearby, but there’s a chance for thousands of homes – and to bring that forward together.”
First proposed in 2019, the Sandhills stop gained momentum earlier this year after the government approved £1.5 million to fund an outline business case – a vital step before construction can begin. The scheme remains contingent on full capital funding, but city leaders say it could realistically open by 2030 or 2031.
New tram stop Sandhills would bring regenerated area
Alongside the new tram stop, plans for the regenerated area include a new school, medical centre, shops, and other community amenities. Officials believe the Metrolink expansion will not only improve travel but also support a sustainable pattern of living close to the city centre.
“This is a key objective,” a council report stated, “considered to be a fundamental piece of enabling infrastructure to unlock new housing built to a high urban density considering the highly sustainable and accessible location.”