Moston Lane and Withington high street will share around £2.8m funding for projects to improve the district centres through new high quality green public spaces, amongst wider regeneration investment.
Greater Manchester was allocated £84m by the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (which has replaced the European Structural Investment Funds (ESIF)) that has been allocated for projects in each of the 10 GM boroughs.
Manchester’s full allocation will eventually extend to more than £5m with further opportunities identified in North and East Manchester, with the initial investment now approved by GMCA for the Moston and Withington projects.
Initially Manchester’s funding allocation will focus on two key public realms:
Moston Lane
Funding for this area will invest in two key green spaces at the Peace Gardens and Moston Green at the centre of Moston Lane. This will include investment to enhance the public realm along Moston Lane, pedestrian crossing improvements and improved green space.
Further funding will be used to develop a new Neighbourhood Regeneration Framework for the area aimed at unlocking substantial investment, along with a new environmental stabilisation plan that will invest in projects that will improve the local environment, laying the foundations for future game-changing investment.
Withington
The investment into Withington high street will be split into two parts –
– The part-pedestrianisation of Copson Street – improving accessibility, creating new opportunities for outdoor seating and a venue for street markets.
– To create a new library square where Wellington Road meets Wilmslow Road, creating a new high quality green public space, areas to rest and provide an open space suitable to host local events.
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) programme covers a 3-year period 2022-3 – 2024-5 across themes of Communities & Place, Supporting Local Business and People and Skills (2024-5 only.)
GMCA submitted an investment plan to central government in July 2022. Manchester City Council has also submitted a funding bid against the Supporting Local Business funding stream of the UKSPF, to develop Small and Medium Enterprise workspaces in Longsight, Cheetham Hill and Ardwick.
Councillor Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, said:
“This funding will help kickstart some really welcome projects in Moston and Withington, creating quality green public space that will act as focal point for the highstreets of these two neighbourhoods.
“Our district centres across the city are the beating hearts of our communities, and they are places that should be nurtured for the incredibly important role they play in both the economic and social wellbeing of our local areas.
“We are developing ambitious plans for district centres across the city, we have already seen plans for Wythenshawe Town Centre and Gorton move forward and we will see more celebration of a high streets in the months ahead.”
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a central pillar of the UK government’s Levelling Up agenda and provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025. The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills. For more information, visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-shared-prosperity-fund-prospectus
