Urban oasis: what does the future hold for Castlefield Viaduct?

Residents and organisations have been giving feedback on the National Trust’s plans to transform Castlefield Viaduct into an urban park.

The charity wants to bring the viaduct, which was built in 1892, back into use after more than 50 years. The Trust hopes the viaduct will open next summer as a temporary park to test ideas and get more feedback.

Castlefield Viaduct was used to carry heavy rail traffic in and out of Manchester Central. However, it closed down in 1969 and has not been used since.

This 330m long viaduct sits in the oldest part of the city. Castlefield is the site of Manchester’s Roman origins, the world’s first passenger railway, and was the terminus for the Bridgewater Canal, the world’s first industrial canal.

The Trust has been gathering feedback from locals this summer and will be putting forward a planning application to get permission to delver the phase one pilot scheme next year.