Proposals for a new major urban park at the former Central Retail Park site in Anocats, Manchester have been submitted to planners by our strategic partner Manchester City Council.

Designed in collaboration with landscape architects Planit-IE the investment will transform the long-term brownfield site, delivering a high-quality, attractive green space in Manchester’s city centre – while also connecting to the existing Cotton Field Park behind and through to Ancoats and New Islington.

Following public consultation in August and September of this year, detailed design work has now been undertaken to enable the planning application to be submitted.

Providing a green buffer to Great Ancoats Street, the tiered design will navigate the site’s various level changes, creating accessible pathways through the playful, garden-style elements.

A central lawn, terraced gardens and plaza tie together the wider development of the site, offering a tranquil space where people can unwind and escape the bustle of the city centre, alongside a play area for young people

As part of the park work, Manchester City Council plans to plant 96 trees, install picnic tables and benches, introduce features like a slide and climbing wall.

The park would act as a green boarder for Great Ancoats Street on one side, with a timber boardwalk connecting it to Cotton Fields Park on the other, improving active travel provisions for the local area.

The new park will complement the wider first phase of development of the former retail site, which will be developed separately by the Government Property Agency (GPA), to create a state-of-the-art digital campus. The office complex will bring together a number of Civic Service departments with a focus around digital skills, and will support around 7,000 Civil Service jobs.

A second phase of development will be brought forward by Manchester City Council at a later date. More information will be made available in due course.

Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, said:
“We have envisaged a greener, more welcoming future for the former retail site for some years and this feels a landmark moment for this part of our city centre.
“Once a barrier to the thriving neighbourhood behind, these proposals reimagine the site as a vibrant district with a green oasis at its heart, helping to meet clear demand for quality park space in our city centre - and part of a thread of nearby green space investment, including Mayfield Park and Ancoats Green.
“More widely, the retail site will be part developed by the GPA who will deliver a new digital campus that will support 7,000 quality Civil Service jobs in the coming years, creating employment opportuniti

Manchester City Council submits planning application for latest city centre park