St Mary’s Parsonage, a city-centre neighbourhood in Manchester, is set to undergo a complete revamp to improve its public realm and connectivity.

Manchester City Council is on the hunt for a multidisciplinary team to shape the coordinated public realm and movement strategy, which is set to deliver over 1.2million sq ft of commercial space support over 10,000 jobs, hundreds of new homes and new hotel provision.

The transformation is anchored by the major redevelopment of the former Kendals department store building in Deansgate. Christened the ‘Kendals District’, plans have recently ben unveiled by Relentless Developments — the property company co-founded by Gary Neville.

To support the growth within St Mary’s Parsonage, the council looks to bring forward a cohesive approach to maximise the potential for the spaces between the buildings, ensuring new development creates a more attractive, accessible neighbourhood with high-quality public spaces.

Councillor Bev Craig, leader of Manchester City Council, comments on the revamp:

“We believe this part of our city centre has a huge amount of potential, but it needs unlocking. So it’s important that as a Council we can sew together the various developments to create a cohesive neighbourhood that puts people at the forefront, alongside excellent public spaces, green and blue assets and active travel opportunities.”

The Kendals building redevelopment has been accelerated by an £44m investment through the Good Growth Fund, acting as a key driver for the future of the overall neighbourhood.