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The Transformation of Manchester’s City Centre: New Developments Shape the City’s Future

The way in which New Developments are shaping the City’s Future.

Change is in the air over Manchester for good. New developments, investments and sustainable projects are transforming the skyline of the city into Britain’s most vibrant urban place. Manchester’s city centre is experiencing a transformation that’s attracting residents, businesses and tourists alike from eco-conscious housing developments to tech hubs. With our fingers on the pulse of Manchester city centre right now, let’s have a look at what’s hot and what’s coming soon in the city that will shape its future.

1. The Rise of “Vertical Villages”: Living in the Heart of the City, Modern

Housing cannot keep up with Manchester’s population, particularly in the city centre where demand is growing, according to local campaigner. Developers are now creating ‘vertical villages,’ high rise buildings that have more than just apartments, built as self contained communities with gym, coworking space, restaurants, bars and even a grocery store to meet this demand. Key developments include: Deansgate Square: Luxury apartments, green spaces, and shared amenities defined as luxury urban living redefined living in four iconic towers. Oxygen Tower in Ancoats: Set in green terraces and with state of the art leisure facilities, this high rise development provides residents with a strange, eco friendly lifestyle. There’s a thing for vertical villages with young professionals living and working in Manchester’s city centre.

2. Manchester’s Tech Boom: A Star Becoming The UK’s Silicon Valley Of The North.

It’s been earning the moniker the ‘Silicon Valley of the North’ and Manchester has turned into a top tech hub in the UK. The city is building tech focused business districts with the help of government and private investment: Circle Square and Enterprise City. The zones are created for the tech start up, gaming studio and digital innovation. Key players include: Booking.com’s New Headquarters: There will be more than 1,500 employees here in this high tech office space in the city’s Enterprise City district, and other tech companies will be drawn. MediaCity Expansion: With more media and tech companies confirming their expansion plans, MediaCity in Salford Quays (just outside the city centre) already is a digital powerhouse, and its premises is expanding. Manchester, which continues to attract major tech firms and house startups, is attracting a level of young professionals looking for job opportunities in tech.

3. In addition to the aspect of Green Initiatives and Sustainable City Planning.

Towards more sustainable, environmentally friendly urban development, Manchester has descended into its most exciting trend. With developers building green buildings and urban farming projects, the city council promised to make Manchester a zero carbon city by 2038. Highlights include: Mayfield Park: Mayfield Park is the first new public park in Manchester for over 100 years and is a breath of fresh air with walking paths, picnic spots and urban gardens. Kampus: Part of this sustainable development back from Canal Street is repurposed buildings, green roofs, energy efficient designs and places for local artists and entrepreneurs. But these green spaces aren’t just good for the environment, they also contribute to quality of life, provide gathering spots for urban communities and help buffer flood risks in the city centre.

4. The Northern Quarter Renaissance: At its core, it is Creativity and Culture

Manchester’s Northern Quarter is where creativity, art and culture goes to party. The area is experiencing a cultural renaissance with new spaces opening up for artists and musicians, and local businesses. Recent developments and events in the Northern Quarter include: Street Art and Murals: Despite numerous applications from tourists and locals alike, the Northern Quarter continues to be transformed into colourful murals by international and local artists. New Food and Drink Spots: With a range of eclectic cocktail bars, vegan restaurants and much more around, the Northern Quarter is fast becoming foodies hottest spot, and a great support for the city’s buzzing hospitality sector. It’s helping to keep Manchester as one of the UK’s most culturally rich cities and it’s bringing tourists and new residents looking for that amazing Northern Quarter vibe.

5. Increasing Public Transport; Infrastructure.

The more Manchester’s city centre grows, the more efficient public transport is required. But the city is putting heavy investment into infrastructure upgrades – new tram lines and better bus services for example, so getting around without a car has never been easier. Key projects include: Metrolink Expansion: Now the extension of the Metrolink tram system links more neighbourhoods with the city centre and help reduce congestion and promote sustainable commuting. High-Speed Rail (HS2): The HS2 project is still under debate but if it is ever completed, it would cut travel times between Manchester and London by leaps and bounds, making the city just that bit more appealing to businesses and commuters. Better public transport is key to the growth of Manchester’s city centre: residents and visitors should be able to access the city without overwhelming the transport system.

6. Co Learning: An overview of rise of Co working spaces and Remote work hubs.

As remote work increases, demand for flexible office spaces also increased. Co-working spaces, remote work hubs and other places that startups, freelancers and remote workers can live and work are abounding in Manchester and meetings this demand. Notable spaces include: WeWork Spinningfields: WeWork delivers flexible office solutions for businesses of all sizes, based in one of Manchester’s prime business districts. The Federation: The Federation is a community focused, digital and tech startups space, where people can work and innovate together. This is leading the city’s new work culture and has been a catalyst for the emergence of flexible working and encouraged business growth without the need for a traditional office space.

Final Thoughts: Future of Manchester’s City Centre

Manchester – and indeed many cities – is in the midst of a rapid development with the need to balance new developments with sustainability and community focused space. This is a vision for the future: a cutting edge, inclusive city full of life, opportunities and technologies for the industry. As a resident, as a business owner, or a visitor you can see Manchester’s city centre is becoming one of the UK’s most exciting places to be. This is the start of something big in Manchester. With each new development added, we’ve already seen this beautiful eye of a city morph into even more and we can rest assured the built world is here to stay.