'We stand at the dawn of a new era for Wythenshawe'

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

The regeneration of Wythenshawe — four decades in the making — is about to take a major step forward, the council says. It’s expected the project to revamp the town’s 1970s Civic Centre will see the ‘appointment of a new development delivery and investment partner’ next week at a meeting of the city’s top councillors.

However, to make the 10-year, £500m scheme work, Manchester council needs to find a private investor. It announced the search for a ‘joint venture partner’ on Tuesday (July 16), the same day as its strategic development director Becca Heron revealed how long the authority has been working on the plans. READ MORE: They live in Manchester's tallest building and they're furious “The council had been negotiating periodically for a number of years, say 40 years, to acquire the lease for Wythenshawe,” she told an economy scrutiny meeting. “We were then successful, therefore that freehold provided a great opportunity to establish a strong development platform.” Once complete, it’s hoped Wythenshawe will get a new culture hub, food hall, public square, and a play park.

That will go alongside new shops and 1,750 new homes, which will include affordable properties and supported accommodation. Initial work could start in 2025.

Interim makers’ markets are coming to the area from next month, following similar events in Ancoats and Chorlton, in an effort to bring a buzz to the Civic Centre.