Redeveloping Manchester Urban Centre

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  • Created by: Fiona
  • Created on: 24-05-13 20:56

Background

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Manchester was an important industrial centre but from the 1960s onwards industrial activity began to decline (cheaper in other countries) and people began to move out of the city centre

In 1975, the Arndale Centre was built, bringing people to the city to shop (although the city population was in decline, falling to less than 1,000 people in the 1980s as people moved to the surburbs - as people moved out, the centre became rundown)

The IRA bombed Manchester's CBD in 1996, including the Arndale Centre and the Royal Exchange Theatre

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Beginning Redevelopment

Redevelopment was needed to repair the damage from the bombing and bring people back to the city centre, especially after the opening of the Trafford Centre in 1998, which threatened the city's retail sector

After the bombings Manchester Millenium Ltd was formed to design and manage redevelopment - it aimed to redesign and rebuilt the CBD to make it a safe, accessible centre for the north-west region where people would live,shop and be entertained and to make sure it would last and would cause long-term investment

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Redevelopements

Old buildings such as the Corn Exchange (a listed building occupied by temporary shops) have been renovated - it was rebuilt internally and is now home to an upmarket stalls selling designer goods e.g. jewellery

The Arndale Centre has been redeveloped and now features flagship stores e.g. Marks and Spencers, Selfridges and Harvey Nichols

Areas have been pedestrianised e.g. Exchange Square - this and Piccadily Gardens provide places for people to meet and they both screen public events

The Canal Street area has developed into a 'gay village' that hosts an annual gay pride festival

The Northern Quarter is now home to bars (e.g. Apotheca and Trof) and music venues (e.g. Matt and Phred's)

Leisure facilities have been improved with the Printworks development containing an IMAX cinema, a gym, restaurants, bars and a nightclub

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Successful?

Between 2003 - 2009, the population of the city centre doubled to 19,000 people

Manchester is now the third most popular tourist destination in the UK - tourism contributes £5 billion to the local economy each year

The retail brought by redevelopments has contributed an extra £300 million a year to the local economy

In 2006, 16% of the population were on a low income so was unable to benefit from the new services because they could not afford them

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