£130m boost for Wythenshawe

Dean Kirby

July 28, 2006

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WYTHENSHAWE is to get more shops, a new bus station, improved leisure facilities and 200 new apartments in a é130m regeneration scheme.

Council chiefs have approved a 10-year plan to improve one of the most deprived areas of Manchester.

And they hope the scheme will help Wythenshawe reap greater benefits from the economic boom at neighbouring Manchester Airport.

Earlier this month, the airport unveiled draft proposals that could lead to a huge jobs boost when passenger numbers soar to 50m a year by 2030.

The regeneration masterplan was agreed at a council executive meeting.

Council leader, Sir Richard Leese, said: "A thriving Wythenshawe town centre is essential to the regeneration of the whole area.

"This masterplan will help the town centre reach its full potential for the benefit of everyone who lives, works or visits there."

English Partnerships and the council's Wythenshawe regeneration team drew up the project. Work will now start on attracting private investment.

Masterplan

Wythenshawe will benefit from an estimated é130m cash boost if all four phases of the masterplan are put into practice, with most of the money cash coming from the private sector.

The council's executive has also agreed to set up a project board, made up of public and private-sector figures, to oversee the plan.

Proposals for the first phase, between now and 2009, include a new bus station with better links to the Birtles shopping centre. Other phase one proposals include better shops and a new leisure facility between Wythenshawe Forum and shops.

The area will already benefit from the airport's separate 25-year draft masterplan, which expects to create 22,000 jobs across the region by 2030.

One of the airport's proposals as part of its expansion is to attract a range of companies, industries and services to a development zone known to some as the Wythenshawe `necklace'.

The airport is already supporting the area through its community trust fund and by offering educational programmes and hosting regular careers fairs.

The airport academy has provided jobs for more than 40 people, and 50 airport staff are governors in local schools.

John Twigg, the airport's planning and infrastructure director, said: "What we're doing today, and with our draft masterplan, is creating a real community agenda from supporting primary schools right through to encouraging long-term sustainable employment.

"We doing what we can to help Wythenshawe back to where it was as Manchester's garden suburb," he said.

How much does Wythenshawe need this money? Have your say.

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KERRY JOHNSON, WYTHENSHAWE (18/11/2006 at 15:29)

About time! Wythenshawe is often over looked and with it, segregation from local facilities! We would benefit from this however a few simple youth clubs and a local cinema, or ice rink would help keep the kids off the streets.Many kids are bored and with little money where do they go? even this would create jobs.

Andy, Wythenshawe (18/11/2006 at 18:56)

We're not getting more shops, they are just redesigning the ones already there. This is old news, have the tenants of Wythenshawe been consulted ?, no they haven't and they wont be either. Its private money out to take what they can get ... its another scheme by schemers, Manchester council at their b/s'ing best.

observer, greater manchester (19/11/2006 at 09:38)

kerry, you say the kids are bored with no-where to go or nothing to do? i can tell you exactly where they are of a night time. either at civic bus station terrorising passengers waiting for buses or messing about switching bus engines off from the back and being a general nuisance, or they are hiding in bushes or behind fences waiting for the next passing bus to launch brick at the windows to smash them. (especially round the Eagle area of Newall Green) the majority of drivers on the 101 route want the service diverting after 6pm to avoid that section of greenbrow road, (myself being one of the drivers lobbying for the diversion) for the health and safety of drivers and passengers. (i was unfortunate enough last christmas to be the victim of these bored kids, when they launched an empty alco pop bottle at my side window) maybe if families spent quality time together and did things as a whole, instead of mum and dad kicking the kids out so they can go the pub of an evening,(yes it does happen), and taught them to respect others, then maybe problems like these could start to become a thing of the past. and before you say what about respect for you, respect has to be earnt, and by respecting a bus driver, and that he has upto 80 peoples lives in his hands, it might make kids think twice about launching that brick thats in their hand

dave, salford (20/11/2006 at 01:26)

kerry, instead of moaning and passing the buck onto the council with regard the kids being bored, (just ask the passengers that have to duck for cover as the brick comes through the bus window, or the poor driver that has to stay put in civic bus station until another bus comes along to restart his engine) why don't you all do things as a family. yes, kids want to do their own thing, but instead of letting them terrorise every night, do things as a family unit, then maybe they might get bored of bricking buses every night, and start doing something useful. people only have children for one reason, to be a responsible parent. but judging by the behaviour of some of the kids in wythenshawe, the parents don't give two jots what their off spring do (or in some cases don't even know what or where they are) your children are not the responsibility of the council, they are the responsibility of the parent period

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