The National Trust has officially submitted its plans to transform the Grade II-listed Castlefield Viaduct into a “hidden oasis above the busy city” by building a public park on the former rail line.
The idea for a raised walkway was first teased back in 2012, and plans were unveiled by the National Trust back in June this year.
The charity and heritage organisation said the green space would be a similar concept to the Manhattan High Line and “celebrate the nature, beauty and history of the viaduct”, whilst fitting in with existing plans for the city.
They want it to function as a “stepping stone to other South Manchester green spaces and attractions on foot or bike.”
The green space will be a similar concept to the Manhattan High Line / Credit: Twelve Architects & Masterplanners
The National Trust hopes it will be “a hidden oasis sitting above this busy city” / Credit: Twelve Architects & Masterplanners
Artist impression images of the renovated rail bridge revealed alongside the projected plans in June showed the viaduct paths lined with bright plants, tall trees, and bursting shrubbery, and new impressions unveiled with submitted plans this week showed a secret garden, accessible events space, and boards showing the viaduct’s history.
ADVERTISEMENT
Built in 1892, Castlefield Viaduct was used to transport heavy rail traffic in and out of Manchester Central railway station until 1969.
The former railway station has since been utilised as an events space in the form of Manchester Central Convention Complex – but the viaduct itself has stood unused and unchanged for over 50 years, with the exception of essential repairs and maintenance.
ADVERTISEMENT
The National Trust hopes it will be “a hidden oasis sitting above this busy city”.
Castlefield Viaduct was built in 1982 / Credit: National TrustThe viaduct has stood unused and unchanged for over 50 years / Credit: National Trust
A spokesperson for the organisation said: “As the city of Manchester has continued to grow, the viaduct has stood unused and unchanged with only the essential repairs and maintenance carried out.
“It’s now time for the viaduct to reclaim its place in this vibrant city, celebrating its part in Manchester’s past, present and future.”
Featured Image – Twelve Architects & Masterplanners
News
UK set for another ‘potential’ heatwave next week after warmest June on record
Emily Sergeant
England could be heading towards another potential heatwave early next week, the Met Office has revealed.
While it’s obviously true that temperatures this week have returned to average for the time of year, bringing largely settled conditions for many, once next week rolls around, some parts of the country could be heating up once again – with the Met Office revealing what Greater Manchester residents should prepare for.
For the early part of next week, temperatures will definitely rise and perhaps reach what are considered heatwave conditions for some.
But if this is the case, the forecast suggests that it’s ‘unlikely’ to reach the high temperatures and humidity of last month’s heat, and the North West won’t be getting the worst of it.
The potential of next week’s heatwave comes after last month was officially declared the UK’s warmest June on record.
After a week of respite from the heat, high pressure moves in this weekend, dominating many southern and central areas for the next 10 days.
A defining feature of the month’s heatwave was the ‘exceptionally warm’ overnight temperatures, with frequent ‘tropical nights’ helping to drive the highest average June minimum temperatures on record.
Giving an insight into what’s to come as we head into the weekend, Met Office Deputy Chief Forecaster, Tony Wisson, explained: “Toward the weekend, high pressure will continue to build in across most of the UK as it extends from the Azores. This will lead to more settled, warm or very warm conditions for many, especially across England and Wales, though some rain may still affect the far north.
“The forecast for this weekend suggests that temperatures could approach high 20s°C across parts of England, perhaps 30°C in parts of the southeast, with values of mid to high 20s°C in Wales.
“Although a return to heatwave conditions is looking increasingly likely for some areas, the likelihood of such extreme high temperatures or high levels of humidity as last week is currently low.”
Featured Image – Dmitry Zvolskiy (via Unsplash)
News
NHS to begin offering new one-minute jab to women with ‘aggressive’ form of cancer
Emily Sergeant
The NHS is set to begin offering new immunotherapy for hundreds of women with aggressive cervical cancer across the country.
Pembrolizumab – which experts have described as being able to ‘take the handbrake off’ the body’s immune system to target cancer – will now be presented as a new treatment option for women in England with locally-advanced cervical cancer, which means the cancer has grown beyond the cervix to regions such as the pelvic wall, but not yet spread further around the body.
Trials found that adding pembrolizumab to standard chemoradiotherapy helped keep cancer ‘at bay’ for longer, and improved survival rates overall.
Two years after starting the treatment, nearly seven in 10 patients (68%) were still living without their cancer progressing, compared with 57% for those receiving chemoradiotherapy alone, according to NHS figures.
The trial also found that 82.6% of patients were still alive three years after treatment with pembrolizumab and chemoradiotherapy, compared with 74.8% with chemoradiotherapy alone.
Hundreds of women with aggressive cervical cancer are to be offered a new immunotherapy treatment.
It marks one of the biggest improvements in treatment for the disease in years, and could help more women survive and stay cancer-free in the long term.
The drug is either given every three or siz weeks via an infusion, or as a ‘one-minute’ injection, alongside chemoradiotherapy.
The NHS estimates around 550 patients in England will be eligible for the treatment – which has been approved this week by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) – over the next two years.
Patients will now receive fast-tracked access, funded by NHS England’s Cancer Drugs Fund.
“This is great news for women facing a diagnosis of aggressive cervical cancer, and represents one of the biggest improvements in treatment for this disease in recent years,” commented Professor Peter Johnson, who is the NHS National Clinical Director for Cancer.
“Combining this immunotherapy with existing treatment has had very positive effect for patients in trials, helping the body’s immune system to target cancer more effectively.
Emily Sergeant -
30th September 2021 
