An eight-year planning saga in Manchester could draw to a close this week with the anticipated approval of plans for a new nine-storey office building to accommodate 7,000 civil servants and a one-hectare park with 96 trees and three play areas.
The proposed developments are earmarked for the former Central Retail Park site on Great Ancoats Street. A new report confirms council planning officers have recommended the projects for approval, potentially signalling the end of a long-running saga.
The story began in 2017 when the council purchased the Central Retail Park, previously home to Toys R Us and Argos, among others, for £37m. The shops closed in 2019, leaving the 10-and-a-half acre site in limbo.
Initially, the council planned to use the existing retail car park as a large pay-and-display area, but this was blocked following a High Court challenge by campaigners two years later. With the land vacant, skateboarders created a DIY skatepark called GooseSide, named after the goslings that moved in once the shoppers left.
However, their tenure on Great Ancoats Street was short-lived, as fencing was erected in 2023 to secure the site.
In that same year, intense town hall debates slowed down the office complex's redevelopment plans. However, the project gained momentum last year following an announcement by council leader Bev Craig that half of the site had been sold. Shortly after, the final designs for the new office space and park were disclosed.
The Government Property Agency (GPA) has described these proposals as 'a flagship development'.
In its statement, the GPA said the project was "delivering a building which will set the standard for new building hubs through this decade and beyond. It will do so with flexibility, function and collaboration at its core."
The GPA's 'Manchester Digital Campus' is expected to generate 6,000 construction jobs and mend the 'gap' in Great Ancoats Street. Additionally, new retail spaces are planned to enhance amenities for locals and employees.
Manchester council’s planning committee is slated to deliberate on the plans on Thursday, February 20, at 2pm.
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