Council leader confirms that improving the area is a high priority
It has been confirmed that work to knock down the free-standing part of the Piccadilly Gardens’ wall will begin this month. Well it’s a start we suppose…
The demolition, which will begin on 16th November, is the first step in plans to transform the area. Ideas for the wider improvement scheme are being developed and will be shared with the public and businesses to gauge their views towards the end of the year. This feedback will then help shape the final design brief.
This demolition will be the first visible sign that change is coming
These early works are designed to make it easier to see across and move through Piccadilly Gardens, with poor sight-lines cited as a contributory factor in antisocial behaviour.
The overall regeneration scheme will cover an area including a section of Piccadilly to the north of Piccadilly Gardens, Parker Street to the south and Mosley Street to the west. The scheme also intends to address improvements to the Pavilion building, which includes the other part of the wall. What form these improvements take is to be determined.
Sir Richard Leese, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “Piccadilly Gardens is a much-used public space with huge potential.
"As the city begins its recovery from the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic and looks to the future, the regeneration of this prominent space will have a big part to play – hosting appropriate events and encouraging and supporting nearby business activity and job creation.
“Improving Piccadilly Gardens and the surrounding area is a high priority for the council. Further ideas are in the pipeline but this demolition will be the first visible sign that change is coming.”
Apologies Manchester.
This should have been done a decade ago.
Now on to the rest of it.
Demolition of Piccadilly Gardens' hated 'Berlin Wall' will start in days https://t.co/jf6LfzhLH3
— Pat Karney (@patkarney) November 5, 2020
Councillor Pat Karney, city centre spokesperson, said: “This is the news that everybody in Manchester has been waiting for – part of the wall is coming down. I’m going to mark it on my calendar.
“This is only the first part of what will be much bigger plans to make Piccadilly Gardens the vibrant and inviting space at the heart of the city which it should be.”
Piccadilly Gardens was reconfigured in 2002 to include a *ahem* 'water feature' and a 'concrete pavilion' by Japanese architect Tadao Ando, who, as far as we know, hasn't been back to check how popular his idea of Berlin Wall chic has been amongst the local population.
