Piccadilly Gardens is about to change again - but it probably won't look like this
01.07.2023 - 05:43
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Piccadilly Gardens is set undergo a big transformation — but it's unlikely to look much like the old gardens many Mancunians fondly remember.
For much of the 20th century Piccadilly Gardens, which opened in 1914, boasted botanical displays in a sunken space. A dramatic redesign in 2002 cast those into memory, and the current design, along with concerns about crime and anti-social behaviour, has fed nostalgia for the gardens in their heyday.
Potential designs for another revamp were first submitted to the council in autumn 2021, and are currently being whittled down.
The M.E.N understands that council bosses have all but ruled out the idea of going back to a 'sunken garden' display in the area, which saw a gradual decline from the 1960s - however, it's promised that the public will be invited to 'shape the future' of the space when a new plan has been decided on.
It's understood that four new designs have been shortlisted from ten contenders, with the council in talks with ‘all design teams’ to clarify and refine plans to come up with the best possible plaza.
Final designs for the project were initially going to be made public in March, with the whole scheme set to cost £25 million - a figure which council chiefs are resigned to revising due to inflation.
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A design team is now expected to be publicly announced later in the summer.
Council leader, Bev Craig, said: We know how important Piccadilly Gardens is to Mancunians and visitors alike, and have committed to investing in improving this prominent public space so it becomes a place in which they can have real pride,” she said in a statement.
"Lots of people have already