Plans to redevelop part of Piccadilly Gardens have been given the go ahead with work set to start this summer and be completed by the end of the year. The concrete pavilion at the city centre spot is set to be split into two separate sections as the canopy is removed and the restaurants below are refurbished.
A metal, glass and LED art installation is to be mounted on the walls facing the bus station and more lighting would be added around the pavilion's perimeter. This planning application precedes broader plans which will be put forward by Manchester council to transform Piccadilly Gardens and the surrounding area.
A £25m investment is planned for the public space which has long been associated with anti-social behaviour and is known as a hotspot for crime. Last month, Manchester council shortlisted six teams for the next stage of an international design competition to make the Gardens a 'world class space'.
