Multi-million pound plans to transform an historic city centre spot have been given the green light. The Roman Gardens in Castlefield, which are located on the site believed to be the birthplace of Manchester 2,000 years ago, are set to be transformed by a local group.
The site located off Liverpool Road was home to the Roman fort of Mamucium where the settlement of Manchester was founded in AD 79. A reconstruction of the fort's North Gate now stands on the site of the original stone gateway uncovered in the early 1980s.
Plans to transform the public green space described as 'one of the saddest and most unloved areas' in the city centre were first put forward by Castlefield Forum in 2016 with detailed proposals drawn up by architects BDP on behalf of the community group approved by Manchester council the following year. But planning permission for the project expired during the pandemic before it got started.
READ MORE: The places in Greater Manchester getting Levelling Up cash in latest government announcement
READ MORE: Today's top Manchester Evening News stories
A new planning application outlining the same proposals was submitted to the town hall earlier this year with the hope that work will get under way soon. Manchester council has now granted planning permission for the project which is estimated to cost around £3m.
Castlefield Forum will now need to raise the cash to complete the project. Louise Pullan, who is the group's vice-chair, said she is hoping to get some support from the council which owns the land as well as developers working on projects in the neighbourhood.
She revealed that Laing O'Rourke, the construction company behind the nearby Aviva Studios has offered to build the new pathway planned at the Roman Gardens. Other proposals for the site opposite the Science and Industry Museum include replacing broken and muddy paths, removing some of the fencing around the perimeter and resurfacing the Roman Road which runs through the centre.
A 'time-line feature' would also be created, raising awareness and educating visitors of the site's heritage. A community area including grow boxes, a timber stage and space for seating are also planned as well as a rain garden, trees and Roman-inspired wildflowers.
Work could start later this year with new lights installed at the North Gate. According to Louise, work on parts of the plan that would prevent planning permission expiring as it did in the pandemic will be prioritised alongside the path which funding has been secured for.
She said: "We're delighted that it's finally come to fruition. It's been quite a long process and a long road.
"But it's a key part of our city centre. It's amazing that we've now got the opportunity to celebrate that location. Hopefully in due course, we'll be able to get it looking as beautiful as it should be."
