The first images of plans to redevelop the iconic Great Northern Warehouse complex in Manchester city centre have been released.
After Manchester City Council’s Strategic Regeneration Framework (SRF) laid out ambitions back in 2017 for the historic Grade II-listed leisure complex to be established as a “cultural, business and residential” destination for the future, the owners of Great Northern have unveiled their plans to bring the building “back to vibrant life”.
Owners Trilogy Real Estate and Peterson want to “make best use of the six-acre site”.
They have set out plans for this to be done by improving Great Northern’s pedestrian connections to the rest of the city, removing the “unsightly” 1990s additions of car park ramps and the ‘leisure box’ which houses the cinema, and looking to add medium-scale residential buildings at the south of the site.
The development proposals include a redesign of the public square in front of the Warehouse to create a green oasis for the city with spaces designed for “work, rest and play”.
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Upper floors would also be turned into high-quality office space that “respects and upgrades” the existing architecture and structure.
Owners of Great Northern have unveiled plans to bring the Grade II-listed building “back to vibrant life” / Credit: Trilogy Real Estate
New pedestrian routes through the site would also be opened to improve connectivity to the wider city centre and create more spaces for community activity and greenery
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Retention, refurbishment, and access improvements to Deansgate Mews would also be made, with space for local independent businesses to flourish, on top of refurbishment and updates to the Deansgate Terrace, with more offices on the upper floors above retail and leisure.
That’s not all either, as redevelopment plans also include 750 apartments across two taller buildings and a lower-scale podium building.
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Each building will have shared amenity space, outside terraces, and access to green space.
Trilogy Real Estate and Peterson want to “make best use of the six-acre site” / Credit: Trilogy Real EstateRedevelopment plans “respect and upgrade” the existing architecture and structure / Credit: Trilogy Real Estate
Speaking on the unveiling of the redevelopment plans, Robert Wolstenholme – Founder & CEO of Trilogy Real Estate – said: “I’m hugely proud of our local team who have worked so hard to get us to the point where we are able talk to the public about the potential for this much-loved site in Central Manchester.
“Our proposals put community, sustainability and local business at the heart of plans for The Great Northern.
“We look forward to progressing the scheme to achieve the best outcome for the city.”
Mancs and the local community are now invited to attend one of four public consultation events on the plans whicb are being held at The Village Hall on Deansgate Mews today, Saturday 10, Thursday 15, and Sunday 18 September.
Trilogy is looking to submit plans to Manchester City Council later in the year, and you can find out more about them here.
Featured Image – Trilogy Real Estate
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Full list of Manchester restaurants set to add an extra £1 to bills to tackle homelessness this Christmas
Emily Sergeant
A handful of local restaurants will be adding an extra £1 onto every bill over the festive season to help fight street homelessness.
As November arrives, the temperatures begin to start dropping, and the nights set in a little earlier, people in Greater Manchester are once again able to give back while they dine at some of the best restaurants the region has to offer in the run up to Christmas, as the successful StreetSmart fundraising initiative is back for another year.
This year, 15 fantastic restaurants have come together to support local homeless charities as the campaign launches today (1 November).
Manchester independents such as Proloco, Erst, Ezra & Gill, Stretford Canteen, and Blue Eyed Panda are among those taking part in the campaign this year, alongside several city centre chain restaurants such as Lina Stores, Tampopo, Banyan, Manahatta, and San Carlo.
Now in its 29th year, StreetSmart works by each participating restaurant adding an extra £1 to every bill they deliver throughout November and December, with all of the money raised going directly to local homeless organisations, thanks to StreetSmart’s official sponsorship from LandAid.
Manchester restaurants are adding an extra £1 to bills to help fight homelessness this Christmas / Credit: Supplied | Rifqi Ali Ridho (via Unsplash)
Since launching in 1998, the campaign has raised over £16.2 million to support charities across the UK, providing practical help, from meals and emergency accommodation to healthcare, training, housing advice and routes towards finding a permanent home.
The StreetSmart team says it’s determined to deliver another record-breaking year in 2026, and provide much-needed support to the services that help some of the most vulnerable people in the city.
Manchester restaurants taking part in StreetSmart 2026
Proloco
Hache MCR
Bar Posie
SAMPA
Blue Eyed Panda
Ezra & Gill
Erst
Little Seeds
Lina Stores
Stretford Canteen
Hawksmoor
Manahatta
San Carlo Bottega
Tampopo
Banyan Bar & Kitchen
“The festive period can be an incredibly tough time for the vulnerable people in our community,” explained Glenn Pougnet, who is the Director of StreetSmart.
“StreetSmart provides a simple way for people to help some of our city’s most in need. Giving back whilst dining out at Christmas is what StreetSmart is all about, and we’re thrilled to have so many restaurants already taking part.
“Every £1 added to a bill adds up and makes a huge difference.”
Featured Image – John Carey (Supplied)
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‘Groundbreaking’ new police team launches on Bee Network to make it one of the safest in the world
Emily Sergeant
A ‘groundbreaking’ new policing model aimed at making the Bee Network one of the safest public transport networks in the world has launched.
Described as being ‘pioneering’, the first-of-its-kind approach – named the Transport Policing and Crime Command (TPACC) – will bring Greater Manchester Police (GMP), Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), and Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) even closer together to tackle crime, antisocial behaviour, and safety issues across the region’s transport network.
So, how will it work then? Well, according to TfGM, the command will ‘effectively establish’ the Bee Network as GMP’s eleventh policing district.
It will bring together up to 300 personnel, including new police officers, who are all involved in keeping the network safe and providing greater reassurance to passengers travelling across the region.
Efforts to keep passengers safe on buses, trams, active travel routes, and roads across Greater Manchester will be ‘strengthened’ through the new team – improving co-ordination in response to incidents, and helping to reassure communities.
A ‘groundbreaking’ new police team has launched on the Bee Network to make it one of the safest in the world / Credit: TfGM
The new team will also incorporate the existing Roads Policing Unit within GMP that includes specialist functions such as the Central Ticket Office, the Tactical Vehicle Intercept Unit, the motorbike unit, the Commercial Vehicle Unit, the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, and more.
Overall, the key focus of TPACC is to:
Increase public confidence on safety across the transport network
Reduce violence, antisocial behaviour and criminality across the transport network
Increase the number of users of the Bee Network across Greater Manchester
The launch of TPACC is said to represents ‘the next phase’ of Greater Manchester’s commitment to creating a ‘safer, more secure, and more welcoming’ transport network for everyone who lives, works, and travels across the region.
“I want a world-class Bee Network where everyone feels safe,” commented Greater Manchester Mayor, Bev Craig.
“Our new dedicated transport policing command will bring together more than 300 police and safety officers, with high-profile patrols across our roads and the Bee Network. It means a stronger presence in our communities and faster action when people need help.
“TPACC will also crack down on dangerous driving to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries on our roads, which have devastating consequences for families and communities.”
Emily Sergeant -
7th September 2022 
