Manchester has waited for years to see how the space would get some love – but the city will need to wait a few more months for the final details
An indicative image of how the Gardens might look(Image: Manchester City Council)
Details of Piccadilly Gardens’ long-awaited revamp will be confirmed ‘later this year’, according to council chiefs.
Work to revitalise the much-maligned city centre square has already started, with large sections fenced off earlier this month to allow pumping equipment for consistently broken fountains to be removed. Council city centre spokesperson Pat Karney said their 2002 installation was ‘a monumental mistake’.
He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service earlier this month: “The company that built it collapsed six months after it was built and so started years of constant repairs. The Berlin Wall and this flawed fountain should have been removed years ago.”
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Street furniture is also being removed in the initial phase of work. On Wednesday (March 25), town hall chiefs confirmed a full planning application will reveal all the details of the revamp ‘later this year’ and said Galliford Try will carry out construction.
Council Leader Bev Craig said: “We are cracking on with delivering improvements to Piccadilly Gardens to make it an attractive, welcoming and colourful space in which Mancunians can take pride. The appointment of the delivery team is a big milestone in this transformative project to create a better Piccadilly Gardens which makes a positive contribution to the city centre.
Fences have already appeared in the Gardens to start prep work, like ripping out the fountain(Image: Manchester Evening News)
“The physical works will be complemented by other initiatives and fresh approaches to management to ensure a world-class public space which is safe, inviting and enjoyable to spend time in.”
The LDRS understands the ‘new’ Piccadilly Gardens is hoped to open in summer 2027. Previously, Coun Craig said the redesign will include more planting, grass, and flowers in the plaza.
It will also have a new playground for children and include a flexible events space for Manchester’s red letter days, as the Gardens have hosted the Christmas Markets, St Patrick’s Day, Mcr Live ‘25, and football fanzones in recent years.
Police officers will get a dedicated ‘hub’ to keep a lid on the crime and anti-social behaviour which has blighted the Gardens, and Transport for Greater Manchester is prepared to overhaul the bus station on Parker Street, next to City Tower.
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