Since the bomb just over twelve years ago a fair amount of regeneration has taken place around the Cathedral. We have seen the development of New Cathedral Street which has the M&S and Harvey Nicholls Buildings and more recently the expansion of the Arndale Centre. The Urbis was also built as an iconic development in Cathedral Gardens. Well, there is more to come....

For some time now I have been aware from press reports of a substantial development across the road from the west side of the Cathedral. This is to be called The Exchange, Greengate Embankment.

The Exchange sits at the heart of the multi-million pound regeneration scheme, which aims to link the historic cities of Salford and Manchester, and will see the transformation of the former Exchange Station into 400,000 sq ft of mixed-use development. The scheme is located within the historic Greengate triangle area, bounded by Chapel Street, Gravel Lane and Sacred Trinity Church. It sits just yards from the booming retail and leisure developments of Manchester city centre's Exchange Square.

This will include shops, a hotel, business and residential space as part of a wider regeneration masterplan for the area that will eventually see in the region of 3.25m sq ft of new development.

The announcement of an £8.5 million funding package from English Partnerships earlier this year gave the green light to the scheme, which will include stunning public spaces, including attractive watersides, pedestrian-friendly walkways, water features, a public square and a new bridge across the River Irwell. A key feature will be the recreation of the medieval market place reflecting the historic importance of the site as a centre of trade and commerce. Exceptional design quality and high standards of sustainability will be integral to the approach.

The Exchange

Greengate Embankment was officially launched by Ask and Network Rail at a special preview evening on Wednesday March 5th. Over 200 guests heard details of the development from Chief Executive of Ask Developments, Ken Knott; Leader of Salford City Council, Councillor John Merry; and Chair of Central Salford, Felicity Goodey.

Ken Knott said, "Together with our partner Network Rail, we propose to deliver a pioneering vision to reconnect the two great cities of Manchester and Salford and offer new economic benefits to both. Greengate Embankment will be a breathtaking mixed-use scheme demonstrating the value of open spaces in the development of urban centres and a catalyst for the regeneration of this area." Councillor John Merry said, "The Greengate project plays a big part in the regeneration of Salford and we're very excited to see the work start. The plans point to a vibrant future for Salford and will help to bring a forgotten part of the city back to life while respecting the areas' local heritage."

Felicity Goodey said, "Greengate Embankment is the gateway to a new future. It is the most important development yet for the transformation of Central Salford. Together we have set out a vision to make Central Salford beautiful, vibrant and prosperous.

"The Exchange at Greengate Embankment is the first, solid evidence of the major change which is now underway and signals the expansion of the region's corporate centre across the river from Manchester into its close neighbour, Salford."

This development will dramatically alter the people and transport dynamic in front of the Cathedral. Victoria Street is planned for pedestrianisation in the near future, providing access for service vehicles only. There will be a dramatic increase in pedestrians (hopefully) moving in the direction of the cathedral.  The developers plan to build a pedestrian bridge from the site to link with Victoria Street to be called ‘Cathedral Walk' and this too will enhance the profile of the Cathedral.

All this will impact on our life and our mission and needs to be taken into account when we evaluate our outreach in terms of our Vision Statement in the months to come.  In future editions of this magazine I shall write about other significant developments in the area.