5 future Manchester developments that could transform the city - including Piccadilly Gardens

We recently published a round-up of some of the big developments currently underway in Manchester, but there are even more planning applications in the pipeline that are set to change this city even more. 

Here are some of the future key developments in Manchester that have caught our eye. 

Piccadilly Gardens

Piccadilly Gardens is the one area of Manchester city centre that people love to hate. Over the years, it has gained a reputation for anti-social behaviour and ugly architectural features – like the infamous concrete wall. However, all this is set to change in the next few years, with big redevelopment plans already in the works. 

Designs for the new-look Piccadilly have not yet been released, although the council has confirmed that it will not return the original sunken garden design. Architecture firm LDA Designs are currently working on the plans. The MEN reported in March that concept designs had been completed and that the plans were at the RIBA Stage 3 phase, where they will look at spatial coordination.

Frequent visitors to the city centre will have noticed that some work has begun. While most of Piccadilly Gardens is owned by the council, the pavilion – currently home to Bunsik and Blank Street Coffee – is owned by Legal & General Investment Management, who are transforming the structure by removing the roof that connects the two units. The new pavilion will also include an art installation by SpaceInvader Design and Mancunian artist Lazerian. 

Mayfield

Mayfield Depot has seen a lot of development over the last few years, firstly with the opening of Freight Island food hall and event space and then with Mayfield Park, the first new city centre park in 100 years. But the transformation will not stop there. 

Two new office blocks, called The Poulton and The Republic, and a ten-storey car park are set to be built alongside the park, which will also be extended in the process. The project is being run by the Mayfield Partnership, a public-private venture with the council. 

Pomona Island

The Manchester Waters development is set to continue over at Pomona Island. The former Victorian pleasure garden, that was later turned into docklands and then left to become brownfield, has already had some development over the last few years. 

In March, developers Peel Waters announced that plans for another 159 homes across two buildings had been approved by Trafford Council. Peel Waters say that sustainability is an important element of these new buildings and the site will include heat pumps and solar panels. New waterfront cycle lanes and pedestrian routes will also be created. 

Regent Park

On the other side of the river in Salford, there are also plans to transform the Regent Retail Park into a new inner-city neighbourhood. Developers Henley Investment Management bought the site in 2016 for £16m. Their plans would include the demolition of all the shops currently operating on the site, and, in their place, the construction of ten apartment blocks and a five-acre park. 

The most eye-opening of this already drastic overhaul of the Salford retail park would be the construction of a 70-storey plus tower, which would be the tallest outside of London – beating Salboy’s Viadux. In March, it was reported that an outline planning application had been submitted. 

Talbot Mill

Capital & Centric have just begun work on the historic Talbot Mill in Castlefield. The £38m project will transform the forgotten mill into an apartment block and also construct a 10-storey tower. In total, the project includes 190 new apartments. It is expected to be completed by spring 2026.