This Council recognises:

 

·                The importance of publicly owned parks which allow kids to play, dogs to run around, and for all residents to be able to enjoy, and recognising the vital importance of public parks in the city centre for our mental and physical health.

 

·                That the City Centre population is expected to shortly hit 100,000 people up from 17,000 in 2011.

 

·                That the pollution across the City Centre is regularly above WHO safe limits. Central parks also help reduce the impacts of urban heat islands by offering shade. Unfortunately the Council has approved decisions that rip up well-used green spaces such as New Islington Green. Although the development of Mayfield Park is welcomed, this isn’t sufficient and isn’t a publicly owned park.

 

In just 6 weeks in January and February 2023 nearly 600 local residents responded to the ‘Former Central Retail Park Consultation 2023’ in good faith with the legitimate expectation of being listened to.

 

A Council that is serious about tackling the Climate Emergency, that proudly follows the Our Manchester approach to engaging with the public, and who is led by a local Labour Party promising to put “people at the heart of everything we do” should support building a public park on the largest derelict publicly owned plot of land in the city centre, putting public resources to the best public use.

 

Although a precise breakdown of respondents has – unusually – not been provided, it is clear from the SRF Update report published on the 21st March 2023 that the overwhelming majority of respondents wanted to either a) include a proper park on this publicly owned land or b) at least significantly increase the size of the green space in the SRF.

 

The SRF Update report was published late and on Tuesday 21st March just ahead of the Executive Meeting. Until this was published there was no indication that the Council would fail to listen to the consultation feedback about incorporating a proper park as part of the updated plans.

 

On Wednesday 22^nd March the Council’s Executive agreed to minor amendment of other parts of the SRF - but refused to actually respond to or address concerns of the overwhelming majority of respondents on the need to incorporate a proper park in the plans. Until this decision there was no indication that the Executive would ignore and fail to act on the very clear consultation feedback.

 

Accordingly the Council Resolves to:

 

(1)       Act on the clear feedback provided by nearly 600 residents to the Former Central Retail Park SRF and include provision to build the first publicly owned park in the city centre in over a hundred years within the Updated SRF and note that the park should indicatively consist of a contiguous 20% of the available site excluding hard landscaping proposals.

 

(2)       Request the Leader and relevant Officers to include proposals for the new park in any conversations with interested developers including the Government Development Agency who have reportedly expressed interest in the site.

 

(3)       Note that the above proposed motion does not entail any direct costs and has no immediate budgetary implications. As asserted by the Leader, Councillor Craig, any final determination of the scale or scope of the green space will be determined through the planning process. This aims to guide that process to better deliver on the priorities expressed by residents through the formal mechanisms to influence such decisions but which have hitherto been ignored.

 

Proposed by Councillor Good, seconded by Councillor Northwood and supported by Councillors Bayunu, Johnson, Kilpatrick, Leech and Wiest

Councillor Good submitted the following motion, which was seconded by Councillor Northwood:-

 

·         The importance of publicly owned parks which allow kids to play, dogs to run around, and for all residents to be able to enjoy, and recognising the vital importance of public parks in the city centre for our mental and physical health.

 

·         That the City Centre population is expected to shortly hit 100,000 people up from 17,000 in 2011.

 

·         That the pollution across the City Centre is regularly above WHO safe limits. Central parks also help reduce the impacts of urban heat islands by offering shade. Unfortunately the Council has approved decisions that rip up well-used green spaces such as New Islington Green. Although the development of Mayfield Park is welcomed, this isn’t sufficient and isn’t a publicly owned park.

 

In just six weeks in January and February 2023 nearly 600 local residents responded to the ‘Former Central Retail Park Consultation 2023’ in good faith with the legitimate expectation of being listened to.

 

A Council that is serious about tackling the Climate Emergency, that proudly follows the Our Manchester approach to engaging with the public, and who is led by a local Labour Party promising to put “people at the heart of everything we do” should support building a public park on the largest derelict publicly owned plot of land in the city centre, putting public resources to the best public use.

 

Although a precise breakdown of respondents has – unusually – not been provided, it is clear from the SRF Update report published on the 21st March 2023 that the overwhelming majority of respondents wanted to either a) include a proper park on this publicly owned land or b) at least significantly increase the size of the green space in the SRF.

 

The SRF Update report was published late and on Tuesday 21st March just ahead of the Executive Meeting. Until this was published there was no indication that the Council would fail to listen to the consultation feedback about incorporating a proper park as part of the updated plans.

 

On Wednesday 22nd March the Council Executive agreed to minor amendment of other parts of the SRF - but refused to actually respond to or address concerns of the overwhelming majority of respondents on the need to incorporate a proper park in the plans. Until this decision there was no indication that the Executive would ignore and fail to act on the very clear consultation feedback.

 

Accordingly the Council Resolves to:

 

(1)          Act on the clear feedback provided by nearly 600 residents to the Former Central Retail Park SRF and request that the Executive consider including provision to build the first publicly owned park in the city centre in over a hundred years within the Updated SRF and note that the park should indicatively consist of a contiguous 20% of the available site excluding hard landscaping proposals.

 

(2)          Request the Leader and relevant Officers to include proposals for the new park in any conversations with interested developers including the Government Development Agency who have reportedly expressed interest in the site.

 

(3)          Note that the above proposed motion does not entail any direct costs and has no immediate budgetary implications. As asserted by the Leader Bev Craig any final determination of the scale or scope of the green space will be determined through the planning process. This aims to guide that process to better deliver on the priorities expressed by residents through the formal mechanisms to influence such decisions but which have hitherto been ignored.

 

Councillor White submitted the following amendment to the motion which was seconded by Councillor Irene Robinson:-

 

This Council recognises:

 

-                 The importance of publicly owned parks which allow kids to play, dogs to run around, and for all residents to be able to enjoy, and recognising the vital importance of public parks in the city centre for our mental and physical health

 

-                 Manchester has 154 council parks across the city, including Heaton Park as one of the largest municipal parks in Europe - the majority of our residents can walk to a council owned park in their community within 15 minutes

 

-                 Over the last 30 years, Manchester has become an even more desirable and popular place to live, work and visit, and the wider City Centre population is expected to shortly hit 100,000 people up from 17,000 in 2011

 

That the pollution across the City Centre is regularly above WHO safe limits. Central parks also help reduce the impacts of urban heat islands by offering shade. Unfortunately the Council has approved decisions that rip up well-used green spaces such as New Islington Green. Although the development of Mayfield Park is welcomed, this isn’t sufficient and isn’t a publicly owned park.

 

In just 6 weeks in January and February 2023 nearly 600 local residents responded to the ‘Former Central Retail Park Consultation 2023’ in good faith with the legitimate expectation of being listened to.

 

A Council that is serious about tackling the Climate Emergency, that proudly follows the Our Manchester approach to engaging with the public, and who is led by a local Labour Party promising to put “people at the heart of everything we do” should support building a public park on the largest derelict publicly owned plot of land in the city centre, putting public resources to the best public use.

 

Although a precise breakdown of respondents has – unusually – not been provided, it is clear from the SRF Update report published on the 21st March 2023 that the overwhelming majority of respondents wanted to either a) include a proper park on this publicly owned land or b) at least significantly increase the size of the green space in the SRF.

 

The SRF Update report was published late and on Tuesday 21st March just ahead of the Executive Meeting. Until this was published there was no indication that the Council would fail to listen to the consultation feedback about incorporating a proper park as part of the updated plans.

 

-                 On Wednesday 22nd March the Council’s Executive agreed to minor amendments of other parts of the Strategic Regeneration Framework (SRF) – There have been a number of extensive consultations with local residents about the future use of this site over the last few years – there has been significant response to these consultations that have helped shape the current plans and refreshed, amended and updated SRF that was agreed at the Executive in March 2023.

 

 but refused to actually respond to or address concerns of the overwhelming majority of respondents on the need to incorporate a proper park in the plans. Until this decision there was no indication that the Executive would ignore and fail to act on the very clear consultation feedback.

 

-                 In September 2022, the 6.5 acre park and green space at Mayfield opened on a former brownfield site opening up the River Medlock – the new park has been a great success over the last year and hosted the opening event of the Manchester International Festival at the end of June.  Parks and green spaces help to reduce the urban heat island effect, and provide shade.

 

-                 Manchester has over 1.25 million trees – and over 1,000 new trees a year are being planted across the city (7,861 trees in 2022/23) in parks and on grass verges to help improve our environment and reduce air pollution.

 

-                 The former Central Retail Park in Ancoats was purchased by the City Council in 2017 as a key strategic site for jobs and other strategic objectives on the edge of the City Centre.  The site was used as a testing centre curing Covid-19 whilst a SRF was further developed.

 

-                 Following the latest consultation, the amount of green space and public realm in the plans were significantly increased, and further work was done to link the site in with Cotton Field Park and the Marina at New Islington too – these areas of park and public space are vital elements of an area that has been voted one of the best areas to live and one of the worlds ‘coolest’ neighbourhoods.  According to The Sunday Times' official 'Best Places To Live' guide for 2023, Manchester neighbourhood, Ancoats, has been named the 'best place to live' in Manchester after dethroning Altrincham which has held the top spot for years.

 

-                 There is also wider investment in green space in other parts of Ancoats with work starting soon on an expanded Ancoats Green near to the Poland Street area with a new play park for families, and further investment in green streets, trees and other measures to make the wider area of Ancoats, a safer and even more attractive place to live, and walk around too.

 

Accordingly the Council Resolves to:

 

This council resolves to:

 

(1)      Act on the clear feedback provided by nearly 600 residents to the Former Central Retail Park SRF and include provision to build the first publicly owned park in the city centre in over a hundred years within the Updated SRF and note that the park should indicatively consist of a contiguous 20% of the available site excluding hard landscaping proposals.

 

(1)     Support a wider commitment to listening to feedback through our consultation processes and will also continue to advocate for good quality green space and public realm in the development proposals being brought forward for the Central Retail Park site, that link in with Cotton Field Park and the New Islington Marina.

 

Support further work and investment to ensure all Mancunians have good quality and accessible green space and parks close to where they live – and help improve our extensive city-wide network of parks and green spaces, including in Ancoats and Beswick, for the wellbeing and health of all our residents.

 

(2)     Request the Leader and relevant Officers to include proposals for the new park in any conversations with interested developers including the Government Development Agency who have reportedly expressed interest in the site.

 

(2)     In addition to continuing to advocate for good quality green space and public realm in the development proposals being brought forward for the Central Retail Park site, welcome the recent planning permission for the new play park and the investment in, and expansion of Ancoats Green, and also welcomes the 2 acres of public realm and green space at the Electric Park development between the Ashton Canal and Metrolink Line too in New Islington, in addition to new Mayfield Park too in the wider local area.

 

(3)     Note that the above proposed motion does not entail any direct costs and has no immediate budgetary implications. As asserted by the Leader, Councillor Craig, any final determination of the scale or scope of the green space will be determined through the planning process. This aims to guide that process to better deliver on the priorities expressed by residents through the formal mechanisms to influence such decisions but which have hitherto been ignored.

 

(3)     Welcome the 1,000s of high quality, well-paid jobs this site will bring into the City for local mancunian workers – ensuring that our ‘people at the heart of everything we do’ manifesto pledge is fulfilled by providing more work and aspirational opportunities for local people.

 

(4)     Champion, invest and support all measures to increase sustainable and active forms of travel that will help to reduce congestion and lower air pollution in this part of the city, and continue to support tree planting in the area to help improve air quality too.

 

On the amendment being put to the vote, the Lord mayor declared it carried and subsequently, the amendment became the substantive motion.

 

On the substantive motion being put to the vote, the Lord Mayor declared it carried

 

Resolution

 

This council resolves to:

 

(1)     Support a wider commitment to listening to feedback through our consultation processes and will also continue to advocate for good quality green space and public realm in the development proposals being brought forward for the Central Retail Park site, that link in with Cotton Field Park and the New Islington Marina.

 

Support further work and investment to ensure all Mancunians have good quality and accessible green space and parks close to where they live – and help improve our extensive city-wide network of parks and green spaces, including in Ancoats and Beswick, for the wellbeing and health of all our residents.

 

(2)     In addition to continuing to advocate for good quality green space and public realm in the development proposals being brought forward for the Central Retail Park site, welcome the recent planning permission for the new play park and the investment in, and expansion of Ancoats Green, and also welcomes the 2 acres of public realm and green space at the Electric Park development between the Ashton Canal and Metrolink Line too in New Islington, in addition to new Mayfield Park too in the wider local area.

 

(3)     Welcome the 1,000s of high quality, well-paid jobs this site will bring into the City for local Mancunium workers – ensuring that our ‘people at the heart of everything we do’ manifesto pledge is fulfilled by providing more work and aspirational opportunities for local people.

 

(4)     Champion, invest and support all measures to increase sustainable and active forms of travel that will help to reduce congestion and lower air pollution in this part of the city, and continue to support tree planting in the area to help improve air quality too.