Planning permission has been granted for Manchester Metropolitan University’s new state-of-the-art library building.
And it looks pretty impressive, to say the least.
After the first plans and artist impression images for the prospective facility were first unveiled back in November of last year, ahead of the University’s 200th birthday, it’s been announced that Manchester City Councilhas officially given the green light for the ambitious project yesterday (15 February).
This means that MMU’s current library building at All Saints on Oxford Road will be replaced with a “modern and dynamic learning environment”.
Architects Hawkins\Brown and Schmidt Hammer Lassen were commissioned to design the striking new building.
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Great news! Plans for our iconic new library have been approved. 🤩
The library will provide a vibrant learning, research, and collaboration hub, empowering our community and fostering creativity and engagement for future generations.
With demolition works expected to begin on site this autumn, the University says the eye-catching new building will feature digitally-enabled teaching and research facilities that will enhance students’ data science and analytical skills, as well as a range of flexible break-out spaces to “support collaboration” and “nurture ideas”.
The new building will also house the University’s ‘Special Collection Museum’, and the Manchester Poetry Library too – which is the North West’s first public poetry library – plus, there’ll also be a new gallery and event spaces that public audiences will be invited to engage with.
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Andrew Fallon, who is the Director of Estates, Facilities, and Capital Development at MMU, says the new library will be a “striking addition” to the Manchester skyline.
He continued: “The new library will serve as an iconic All Saints architectural gateway to our University, and once built, it will provide a vibrant learning, research, and collaboration hub, empowering our University community and fostering creativity and engagement for future generations.”
Plans have been approved for Man Met’s ‘modern and dynamic’ new library building / Credit: Hawkins\Brown
News that MMU’s new library has been granted planning permission comes just days after it was announced that the next chapter in the storied history of Manchester’s iconic John Rylands Library is also about to be written, as the green light was too given for an ambitious £7.6 million restoration project this week.
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The Grade I-listed University of Manchester-owned building will be transformed “enhance” its contribution to research, student experience, and public engagement in the city.
Timelines for this project are expected to be announced in due course.
You can now have a private tour of Manchester Christmas Markets
Thomas Melia
Every year, Manchester Christmas Markets hosts its almost two-month long residency on the frosty streets of our lively city, but now you can enjoy the cute huts with an unbeatable luxury experience.
Travel agency, Viator, who are directly connected to TripAdvisor, have launched a one on one guided tour of Manchester and its stunning Manchester Christmas Marketsin all their glory.
This private tour of the festivities occurring in the city will last two hours and for the whole duration of your time, a city host will be on hand to offer undivided attention, catering to your every need.
A makeshift itinerary is already awaiting guests and can be tailored according to the individual taking the tour, everything is catered to your preferences.
Anyone who books onto the tour also receives a complimentary hot chocolate and that’s sweetened the deal for me, I’m sold.
How can you go wrong with these incredible options at Manchester Christmas Markets?You can recreate your very own gigantic cheese pull and your local host can snap a piccie.Scrumptious selection of food available as you venture through Manchester Christmas Markets in style.
There’s also the chance to keep your hands toasty with a free cup of mulled wine or a soft-drink for those who aren’t interested in the warm alcoholic beverage.
Manchester Christmas Markets are a phenomenal day or night-out regardless so this latest personalised opportunity will take your festive fantasies to a whole new level.
This private tour provides a one-of-a-kind exclusive treatment making your stroll down Manchester Cathedral, Exchange Square and Manchester Town Hall that little bit more special.
These tours are a great chance to immerse yourself in one of Manchester’s many selling points as you can choose to focus your time around art and culture, fashion, architecture or our personal favourite – food.
This exclusive tour package which highlights the best of Manchester Christmas Markets is definitely a present in itself with tickets costing a hefty sum of £100.
If you want to visit Manchester Christmas Markets while also living the high life with a private tour, ‘Christmas In Manchester: Private Experience With A City Host’ is running all the way until the huts shut shop on 22 December and tickets can be found here.
A Christmas train in Wigan has been delivering donated toys galore
Thomas Melia
Yuletide wishes have come true as a donation of toys and goodies have been delivered via a Christmas train in Wigan, right in time for the big day.
The Amazon toy train, which is a new initiative running this festive season, is dropping off presents from now right up until Christmas day itself.
Already visiting Wigan earlier this month, the locomotive has its sites set on three more stops including London, Swansea and Scotland as it makes its journey across three nations.
In partnership with Multibank’s Brick-by-Brick project, the train hopes to provide and offer gifts to families in need across the UK with Wigan marking the closest stop off in Greater Manchester.
Credit: Lee Boswell (supplied)
All the toys that are being transported across the country in this Amazon-fronted train are featured on the company’s ‘Top Ten Toys 2024’ list.
Hatchimals, Screamerz and Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza were some of the exciting gifts found on the Christmas train in Wigan at the start of this month.
This lighthearted and fun-filled Christmas-themed project is kitted out with toys from top brands like Play-Doh and the brickmasters themselves, LEGO Star Wars.
So far, Multibank has helped over 400,000 families and provided three million essential items across their operations in England, Scotland and Wales since launching in 2022.
This collaborative local project doesn’t just operate at Christmastime either: Brick-to-Brick Multibank run all year round collecting surplus business requirements like furniture, hot water bottles and hygiene products to be used by those less fortunate.
The Christmas train in Wigan filled with Amazon’s top toys.The Wigan toy train features some well known brands.Credit: Supplied
This roster of children’s favourite companions and interactive games is inspired by the consumers themselves. Every toy is related to or the exact match of what Amazon customers have been searching for the most. A real Christmas list come true.
The list of the top toys isn’t extortionate either, offering customers some affordable and still as fascinating options with prices starting from £9.99.
Even old-school classics like Play-Doh have a spot on this wish list. This poses the really big question: where’s the adult version?
You may have finished your Christmas shopping not too long ago or might still be looking for inspiration, browse the top-ranked teddies and more HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
16th February 2024 
