As more and more people are attracted to what Manchester has to offer, we’re creating homes within touching distance of employment, transport, culture, leisure and retail. Everything people need for that city centre lifestyle.
Manchester city centre is home to 80,000 people and almost 12,000 new homes are currently under construction on brownfield land across the city centre, with 2,000 underway across the rest of the city. Key residential growth areas include New Jackson, Trinity Islands, and Ancoats as well as Holt Town to the east of the city centre and Strangeways and Cambridge to the north. And just on the edge of the city centre, Victoria North is set to deliver 15,000 new homes, making it one of the largest and most ambitious regeneration schemes in the UK.
This City, a council-owned company, is developing high-quality, affordable, low-carbon housing. The first phase will deliver homes in Ancoats, the second in the Northern Quarter. Low carbon and low energy design principles will reduce overall carbon emissions by 70% (compared to an average UK building) and reduce living costs for residents.
Our people make our city. Manchester is nothing without Mancunians. Providing exciting, high quality, affordable places to live, to grow and to thrive in our city centre is key to shaping our bold, vibrant future.
A place to call home
OUR AMBITION IN NUMBERS
36,000
We’re aiming to deliver 36,000 new homes by 2032…
10,000
including 10,000 affordable homes…
3,000
…3,000 of which will be in the city centre.
There's a reason we're the most visited city in England outside London – no other city offers such a diversity of culture, food and retail, all within walking distance, 24/7.
People come to Manchester in their spare time, leisure time, any time. To shop, explore, and experience the city. In fact, every year visitors spend £900m on leisure, retail and culture. They come for the mix of shops, restaurants and bars. The opportunity to check out everything from international brands and small independents.
Our city centre features the high street and high end names that attract millions of shoppers each year. While the Northern Quarter is the destination for people seeking out our independent scene. High profile announcements include luxury watch brand Audemars Piguet opening on King Street and Hugo Boss opening its brand office in Spring Gardens.
We’re also seeing a move towards mixed-use hubs, attracting people who don’t just live and work there, but who seek out all that these places have to offer. Places like Circle Square, St John’s, New Jackson, Kampus and Mayfield are becoming destinations in their own right, generating significant footfall. They offer a unique sense of place, with markets, food halls and pop-up spaces creating a distinctive commercial offer.
Hungry? Manchester’s bar and restaurant scene is thriving. We’ve recently gained our first Michelin star restaurant, Mana, and our dining scene made Restaurant Magazine’s top 10 food and drink trends. Take a look at Manchester’s Finest and you’ll find a whole range of top class cuisine, from Adam Reid at the French and Elnecot to The Spärrows and Dishoom.
ALWAYS ON
OUR SUCCESS AS A DESTINATION IS SET TO CONTINUE WITH THE NEW MANCHESTER ACCOMMODATION BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT (A-BID), A GROUND-BREAKING INITIATIVE LED BY THE CITY’S HOTEL AND SERVICED APARTMENT PROVIDERS TO CREATE NEW EVENTS AND ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES THAT WILL ATTRACT MORE PEOPLE TO VISIT AND STAY.
Cultural diversity
From grassroots venues to global brands, our city's cultural offer is strong, and it’s getting stronger. There are the places that have been around for years that create that firm foundation, to the new up-and-comers that are really shaking up the scene.
Second only to London, Manchester is one of the country’s top tourist destinations. Tourism contributes £4.5 billion to our city's economy, supports over 50,000 jobs and contributes to the lively, diverse and cultural experience people associate with our city. And these people are drawn from home and away – with 4.8 million annual staying visits.
Our new offer includes Aviva Studios (home to Factory International) and Coop Live. Aviva Studios is a game-changer for the city centre. A bold, innovative space hosting some of Europe’s most adventurous cultural programmes. Coop Live, with a capacity of 23,500, is the largest floorspace of any indoor arena in the country, and the £300m expansion of Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium looks set to deliver world-class, year-round entertainment.
Image: Matt Eachus
These new cultural spaces follow significant investment in our existing venues, such as the new £5m special exhibition gallery at the Science and Industry Museum – one of the most important heritage sites in Europe, and the £13.5m revamp and extension of Manchester Museum.
Our grassroots music scene is where it all starts. It’s a huge part of our city’s identity. And that’s as vibrant today as ever. Grassroots venues, such as Night and Day, Band on the Wall, Yes and the Peer Hat are essential in nurturing talent. These all come together for our Beyond the Music festival, showcasing new music discovery alongside world class artists.
Image: Drew Forsyth
And did we mention the Chanel Métiers D’Art show of 2023? The height of high fashion descended on the streets of the Northern Quarter for a show like no other. Manchester’s internationally renowned arts and cultural scene has been further boosted by English National Opera’s decision to open a new base here by 2029.
Of course, for many, Manchester is known primarily for its football – Manchester City and Manchester United. We’re used to hosting major sporting events, with The Etihad set to host some of the UEFA Euros matches in 2028. But let’s not forget Old Trafford Cricket Ground and the National Centres for Cycling, Squash and Basketball, just a stone’s throw from the city centre.
Image: bardhok - stock.adobe.com
OUR CULTURE IS FOR ALL. FESTIVALS, INTERNATIONAL SPORTING EVENTS, CONCERTS AND PARADES ATTRACT THOUSANDS OF VISITORS TO THE CITY CENTRE ALL YEAR ROUND. OUR VENUES AND EVENTS DEMONSTRATE THE VERY BEST OF HUMAN CREATIVITY, BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER, OPENING EYES, EXPANDING HORIZONS AND PUSHING BOUNDARIES.
Setting the scene for growth
A key reason why we're seeing some major businesses relocate to, and invest in, the city centre is the investment we've been making in stunning new public spaces.
Great cities need great places for people to go to, go through, and stop a while. Places to eat, drink, meet and play. Places that complement the urban hubbub. Public spaces designed specifically for people.
For some areas, it’s about creating new spaces; for others, it’s about better use of the spaces we have. Take Cutting Room Square in Ancoats, a vibrant public space, well used by the growing community. While the garden village of Kampus, the mixed-use development with a strong focus on green infrastructure, has secret streets, gardens and terraces, and a mix of independent food and drink offers all nestled alongside the canal.
Castlefield Viaduct, a once-disused Grade II listed viaduct, is now transformed into an urban park by the National Trust, providing a popular and free-to-visit oasis in the heart of the city. Looking ahead, plans are afoot to extend the park further along the viaduct.
The Medieval Quarter is home to Manchester Cathedral, Chetham’s School and Library, Stoller Hall and the National Football Museum. It was here that the Glade of Light was officially opened in 2022. It’s an important place for our city, a tranquil garden space and living memorial commemorating the victims of the Manchester Arena attack.
And also completed in 2022, the 6.5-acre public park at Mayfield became the first city centre park in more than 100 years, featuring a series of spaces for residents, workers and visitors.
It’s not a standing start. Manchester already has greenspaces scattered across the city centre. Cathedral Gardens, Sackville Gardens, Cotton Field park, All Saints and Parsonage Gardens. Places to sit, have lunch, meet friends or simply have some time out.
But that’s not all. More parks, public squares and green spaces are planned right across the city centre as part of new developments. There’s the expansion of Albert Square – set to become one of the finest civic squares in Europe – following the redevelopment of Lincoln Square. Then there’s All Saints Park at the heart of Manchester Metropolitan University campus; new public green space at our state-of-the-art government digital campus on the former Central Retail Park; the tree-lined Symphony Park at the centre of the Circle Square scheme; and a public park alongside the new primary school at New Jackson.
Even with their different approaches, styles and purpose, all of these places put our people first, creating a truly liveable city centre.
Image: Richard Bloom
