New images show how Piccadilly Gardens will be transformed into a place Mancunians ‘can be proud of’ once again.
The vision behind the plans from Manchester council is to turn Piccadilly Gardens into an area which feels safer and greener, with a new space for activities and events throughout the year.
The newly-released images show for the first time how the design scheme will look when finished.
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It includes ripping out the ‘unsightly’ low concrete walls and raised planters along the edge of the Gardens close to the Queen Victoria statue, and improving the statue’s setting.
The old and ‘unreliable’ fountains at the Gardens will also be removed to create a new flexible structure known as the Welcome Pavilion, which will be used as a space for activities and events.
More greenery will be brought in to spruce up the Gardens in a nod to its flowery past, with lawns, trees, planting, seating, and colourful displays for people to enjoy.
The current children’s area will also be revamped, with a new, larger playground for younger kids. This will be of the same quality as recently-created play areas at Mayfield Park and Ancoats Green, but designed specifically to suit Piccadilly Gardens.
New images show how Piccadilly Gardens could look(Image: Virtual Planit)
Councillor Bev Craig, leader of Manchester council, said: “We’re getting on with sorting out Piccadilly Gardens. We all want to see a space which Mancunians can be proud of – a welcoming and attractive environment which people want to spend time in.
“So as well as other initiatives which are delivering more police and more CCTV, we’re bringing forward this scheme to transform the public space.
“That means investment in more flowers, more greenery, a new welcome pavilion, a new and bigger playground and an altogether more inviting Piccadilly Gardens. A bright new chapter is just around the corner.”
Plans to transform Piccadilly Gardens were revealed by the council last year and since then a team has been appointed working on the design and build, with a detailed scheme in place to bring the vision to life.
Activity has been taking place at the Gardens since earlier this year, when metal fencing and concrete blocks were spotted going up around the fountains in March.
People in Manchester have long called for Piccadilly Gardens to be transformed into a space the city can enjoy and be proud of, as a focal point in central Manchester.
It is one of the first parts of Manchester that visitors see if they arrive by train from Piccadilly station and walk down.
Some Mancunians have longed for the gardens to return to be more like its former appearance, pointing to nostalgic images from bygone days of the former greenery and flowers.
In recent years, Piccadilly Gardens has become a place that some in Manchester look to avoid. But all that could be about to change under the new plans.
The council revealed its design plans for the area today ahead of submitting a full planning application in the summer. A pre-planning consultation around the plans starts today, June 17, and will run until July 15, with more information accessible on the council’s website.
The council want it to be used for events and activities(Image: Virtual Planit)
Manchester council said that previous consultations have captured how people in the city feel about Piccadilly Gardens, and that their views have been heard ‘loud and clear’.
This pre-planning consultation sets out how the designs have responded to those views, and asks for feedback on them to help inform the final blueprint.
Once the physical changes at Piccadilly Gardens are finished, the aim is to set up a regular stream of family-friendly activity and seasonal events to be enjoyed.
More changes are coming to the wider area around Piccadilly Gardens too.
Further improvements planned in the coming years include a multi-million pound investment by Transport for Greater Manchester to create a new, modern transport interchange.
There’s also a major redevelopment at the Rylands building, the grade II-listed former Debenhams, which is creating a new office, retail and leisure destination, and recently-approved plans to refurbish One Piccadilly Gardens, which is used as offices and has food and drinks outlets on the ground floor.
People will be able to view the proposals for Piccadilly Gardens, talk to the team involved and provide feedback during three half day drop-in sessions at Manchester Art Gallery in Mosley Street, just down the road from the Gardens.
Sessions will be held on June 23 from 1pm to 5pm, June 26 from 10am to 2pm, and June 27 from 11am to 3pm.