Plan to revitalise historic corner of city is approved
A BLUEPRINT to transform the historic Knott Mill area of Manchester - that would see a park, waterside walkway and footbridge over the River Medlock - has been approved by the town hall.
The council hopes the plan will bring a ‘vibrancy’ back into the area - having feared that ‘under-utilised’ Knott Mill risks falling behind its neighbours.
The plan seeks to encourage more commercial activity in the area, earmarking areas for independent cafes, restaurants and shops as well as office space for creative industries.
The zone around Little Peter Street is already home to a crop of businesses including architects, design and planning firms, and the town hall hopes they can encourage more.
The approved vision also includes changes to the landscape, with plans for a ‘pocket park’ on the corner of Commercial and Constance Street surrounded by independent cafes. It was signed off by councillors last week after they received responses from a public consultation.
Areas close to the most historic buildings in Knott Mill are earmarked for lower-rise buildings, with larger buildings set for the zones bordering Great Jackson Street, although the report says that ‘transformational’ redevelopment with towers is not appropriate.
But the plan does say there is potential for ‘high density growth’ for an area outside the masterplan closer to Deansgate station - in the future.
Up to 150 homes are envisaged in the plan, earmarked for the area next to the park, while officers also suggested a hotel could be built on Alpha Street.
Along the river, a waterside walkway in the Hill Quay development would be extended further, while a new footbridge across the river would connect the skyscrapers at
Deansgate Square and Great Jackson Street. Around 60 percent of the area should be commercial, the town hall says, and predicts an additional 750 jobs in the zone.