Manchester’s new ‘Vertical Villages’

Manchester City Council has unveiled proposals for the city centre which could include a raft of new towers, multi-billion pound new neighbourhoods, and so-called “vertical villages” at St John’s (the former ITV site).

A new city centre strategy, out for public consultation, includes a vision for the city centre until 2018, as well as aspirations for Manchester as a whole up to 2025 that includes a move to a low carbon economy.

The new vertical village at St John’s and the £1.4bn redevelopment of Granada Studios will be joined by the redevelopment of the dormant First Street site, which is close to the city’s new HOME theatre.  Chancellor George Osborne pledged £78m for the project, known as The Factory Manchester, in last year’s Autumn Statement as part of the Northern Powerhouse initiative. The 5,000-capacity venue is scheduled to open by summer 2019.