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“What an absolutely amazing park, well done. Just what our city needs”
– Park user and Manchester resident, 2022.
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Address
Boardman Gate Entrance, Mayfield Park Baring Street, Manchester M1 2PY
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Value/Worth:
£23M
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Timeline
Complete September 2022. Construction took 18 months
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Background
Mayfield Park is the first new park built in Manchester city centre in over a century and provides a welcoming space for everyone. Previously, this area was a neglected wasteland situated between the Mancunian Way, Mayfield Depot, and Piccadilly Station, primarily used for warehousing until it closed in 2018. The ongoing development of the park was made possible by a £23 million central government investment announced in August 2020, which is part of a larger £1.3 billion infrastructure funding plan for England. The area has become a hotspot for visitors and locals to enjoy much-needed city centre green and blue space which maximises the city's river Medlock and historic features for a unique park design.
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Projects
The park’s design supports the objectives of Manchester’s Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy and covers an area of 6.5 acres. It features 142 trees and 120,000 shrubs and plants. The park includes a children's play zone equipped with six slides and public restrooms. A key highlight is the newly “daylighted” River Medlock, one of Manchester's founding rivers, which had been concealed underground for over 75 years. The river restoration also creates natural habitats for local wildlife. Careful planning has also been implemented to manage flooding, incorporating designated flood zones, wetlands, and native flora alongside the river. The park also creatively reuses Victorian structures and materials, such as historic cast iron hogback beams, which have been incorporated into various new bridges on the site. Over 80% of waste material was reused on site. This approach saved approximately £20 million, reduced carbon emissions, and weaves a golden thread of history throughout the park, demonstrating how reuse, sustainability, and heritage assets can be effectively combined.
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Outcomes
Mayfield Park has received numerous awards for its significant economic, environmental, and social contributions to the city. Notable awards include the Silver Jubilee Cup for Excellence in Planning for the Natural Environment, the "Best Natural Environment" Award from the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) in 2023, and the Green Flag Award in 2024. The park serves as a green lung for Manchester City Centre, currently removing approximately 8 tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere. Additionally, the reuse of materials in construction has saved 240 tonnes of CO2.The park also features various measures to support biodiversity, including the introduction of 40 different plant species, a flood zone that attracts birds, log piles for insects and hibernation, kingfisher posts, bat bricks, bird boxes, and the reintroduction of native flora, which has resulted in the presence of brown trout in the river.
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Future
As of March 2025, planning applications confirm that nearly 900 flats could be built around Mayfield Park as part of the significant regeneration of the Mayfield neighbourhood. The development will also increase the size of the park from six-and-a-half acres to ten acres, plant 123 new trees, install new seating areas and incorporate better access routes via walking and cycling to and from the city centre and beyond.
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