Trafford Centre: New designs for state-of-the-art Therme Manchester wellbeing resort and water park revealed

Manchester is one step closer to getting its state-of-the-art wellbeing resort and water park now that new designs have been submitted to Trafford Council for approval.

This comes after public consultation on new designs for the project came to an end. Once completed, Therme Manchester will be the UK’s only city-based resort of its kind, complete with 25 pools, 35 water slides, thermal bathing and a wellbeing spa.

Last week, the Therme Group, which has similar resorts all over the world, announced that an overwhelming 91% of responses to the consultation supported the new designs for the £250 million project.

Work on Therme Manchester is due to begin later this year, pending planning approval. Construction is expected to take 24 months.

What do the new designs entail?

The most notable change to the original plan is that it will no longer be a single building under an undulating roof, but a series of separate but connected buildings, in a “pavilion-style” concept, surrounded by natural landscapes.

The new design also features three separate entrances for guests arriving from several directions, and there will be better access for cyclists and pedestrians travelling on public transport. The position of the car park has also been revised for better connectivity to public transport. A newly landscaped boulevard will also provide access for anyone driving to Therme Manchester or Trafford Palazzo.

The roof of the on-site parking will also serve as an outdoor terrace for guests, providing a view of the Bridgewater canal. Guests walking or cycling from Manchester will also be able to access Therme Manchester via the Bridgewater canal thanks to a new connection.

An urban garden inspired by English meadows will also be built at the heart of the resort.

Limiting the project’s carbon footprint was an important consideration that came out of the consultation and the Therme Group have given their support to a district heating network that property developers Peel L&P are promoting to transition to low carbon heating.