Piccadilly Gardens in Manchester

L&G to invest £10m in Manchester regeneration scheme



Legal & General Investment Management Real Assets has announced plans to invest £10m in a Manchester regeneration scheme.


The firm has partnered with Manchester City Council in a £2m bid to make Piccadilly Gardens more attractive and welcoming to families, while deterring anti-social behaviour.

The garden investment comes as part of a wider £10m scheme which includes plans to introduce family restaurants and a new coffee outlet.

Bill Hughes, head of real assets at Legal & General Investment Management, said: “We see the partnership with Manchester City Council and the proposal for Piccadilly Gardens as an opportunity to regenerate a prominent and well-used space in central Manchester that is also a thoroughfare to other parts of the city. 

“L&G has a longstanding track record of working with progressive local authorities to bring forward regeneration and improvements to social infrastructure projects.

“We see Piccadilly Gardens as a prime example of this kind of collaboration in action.”

Other changes include replacing the original pavilion with two new buildings linked by an area of public space.

Leasing these buildings will help L&G to fund the improvements, as well as screening the gardens from the nearby transport interchange.

Lighting will also be improved in a bid to improve natural surveillance.

Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council, added: “For all the debate it has generated in recent years, Piccadilly Gardens remains an incredibly well-used public space.

“These proposals will provide both real and sustainable improvements which are compatible with Piccadilly Gardens’ role as a major thoroughfare used by hundreds of thousands of people a week as well as a destination where people can meet and relax.”

L&G will now hold a joint public consultation with the council on 2nd and 3rd December to secure feedback from local residents.



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