Piccadilly Gardens to be redesigned

The plan to redevelop the Manchester city centre location of Piccadilly Gardens has been unveiled. This includes ideas to completely redesign the public space drawn up in a plan that would incorporate local artists to improve the visibility of the urban area.

The plan would see a £25 million investment in the local area to split the concrete pavilion into two distinct sections, leading to a removal of the canopy and the refurbishment of restaurants. In addition, a new art piece will be installed, which would be a creative recognition to the historic Manchester cotton industry and feature LED lighting, glass and metal.

Renovations on the site began in 2020 when the infamous ‘Berlin wall’ was torn down, and councillors wanted to change the image of the hotspot. The move comes after the Local Democracy Reporting Service said that the area had become known for a spot for crime, drugs and violence.

Bev Craig, the newly elected first female leader of Manchester City Council, welcomed the change saying, “Piccadilly Gardens is a busy and important place in the heart of our city, but we know that there is considerable scope to improve it.”

The head of the Legal and General Investment Management Real Assets (LGIMRA) group, who are heading the redevelopment, said they would be working with local artists to make spending time there more enjoyable.

In October 2021, the Manchester City Council launched a £25 million competition for the redesign of Piccadilly Gardens, which aimed to improve the local area, creating a “Special place with a strong sense of identity, welcoming and uniquely Mancunian”.

This is the first stage of the redevelopment and further designs have not been made public, but the council has said that they have begun shortlisting urban design and landscape teams, suggesting an imminent announcement of the next stages of the development.