BDP to submit plans for Manchester sky garden development on site of grade-II viaduct.

The National Trust will submit plans this summer for a £25m sky garden development on the site of a grade-II Victorian viaduct. 

Known as ‘Vision’, the BDP-designed masterplan would provide a welcome area known as Castlefield Platform and a community area known as Village Hub on the site of Castlefield Viaduct. 

The plans also include new entry and exit points to the viaduct and a walkway which provides access to Salford and Trafford. The plans also propose seating areas and pop-up spaces. 

The development would introduce a ‘strawberry garden’ section which has been inspired by 19th century recreation gardens in Cornbrook. The scheme would also deliver a section called ‘cottonopolis’, which is influenced by the city’s industrial heritage. 

The viaduct first opened in July 2022 to get public feedback on the future of the structure. The public and local community have supported the idea that the viaduct remains accessible as a green space, with over 1,000 people participating in workshops, events and an online survey to share their thoughts which informed the design. 

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Work on the extension of the sky park is due to start next year. The work would increase the scale of the viaduct experience from 150m to the full length of the viaduct at 330m.  

Darrell Wilson, landscape architect at BDP, said: “The art of landscape architecture is to bring city spaces to life, connecting people and nature and adding prosperity and activity. There is no better example of this in the UK than this vision for Castlefield Viaduct.”

Nichola Jacques, Castlefield Viaduct project manager at the National Trust, said: “These plans mark the start of our next era for the viaduct; a bigger, bolder and more beneficial green space. This won’t happen without big investment, and we hope these plans will now encourage more funders and supporters to come on board and work with us to achieve this for the city.”

Last month, BDP revealed plans for a 1,000-home development in Nottingham city centre.