Public realm and Ancoats Green
The quality of the public Realm has been key to the revitalisation of Ancoats. Award-winning streets and squares, as well as new buildings have all contributed to the liveliness and distinctive character of the area.
Our public realm strategy is vital for the next stage of development and has four key principles:
- Establishing Ancoats Green as a green heart to the neighbourhood: creating a multi-functional space that fosters a sense of community.
- Extend this green character to streets and spaces: Creating a coherent network of streets and public spaces, using green streets to encourage walking, wheeling and cycling and integrate green infrastructure
- Rebalancing movement towards active travel: establishing a new people-focused street network, reducing the dominance of vehicles in the street, including measures to reduce rat running and fly parking.
- Enhance the industrial heritage of the area and the character of the Conservation Area: guiding design that captures, celebrates and compliments the industrial heritage of the area, with consideration for materials, surfaces, and street furniture.
Ancoats Green
Work has now started on the Ancoats Green project, and the green will be closed to the public until Autumn 2024. During this time, there will be road closures in place around the works site boundary. The refurbished and extended Ancoats Green and Jersey Green will be the focal point of the new neighbourhood of up to 1500 homes.
Delivering an enhanced and more user-friendly green space is a key objective of the Ancoats Public Realm Strategy and is key in linking the area from Butler Street through to Poland Street and the areas beyond.
The scheme includes 3 separate areas:
- Ancoats Green
- Prussia Street Greenway
- Jersey Green
The proposals for Ancoats Green aim to enhance the existing green spaces, retaining as many trees as possible and introducing some new species of trees to add interest and colour. There will be a range of uses within the site including both natural and formal play and the delivery of a multi-functional space that could host community events.
The enhanced green will create new routes that link Poland Street to Butler Street via the Ancoats Mobility Hub and the adjacent Rodney Street scheme and to the Rochdale Canal via the Prussia Street Greenway.
The design of the green will celebrate the history of the area with features that reference the former glass bottle works that was on the site. The creation of the Prussia Street Greenway on the site of the former Canal, will provide a level and pleasant connection to the Rochdale Canal.
We held a design workshop for local residents in October 2022 find out how the feedback we received will influence the space.
The approach to that design and delivery is to ensure the scheme is as is as sustainable as possible through the reuse of materials, the integration of suds drainage and the use of permeable materials wherever possible.
An artist's impression of the playground and its setting.
When complete the Ancoats Green and Jersey Green project will have delivered a combined area of 4 acres of improved public open space for the neighbourhood as follows:
- Ancoats Green: 2.4 acres
- Jersey Green: 1.2 acres
- Prussia walk: 0.37 acre
Current programme proposes submission of a planning application in January 2023 with delivery in 3 phases:
- Main Ancoats Green completed by 2024
- Jersey Green commences post summer 2025
- Prussia Street Greenway commences post 2027
Aerial view of the Ancoats Green Development site, which will act as the green focal point for the area, with walking and cycling routes from Poland Street through to Butler Street, and from Portugal Street to the Rochdale Canal.