The plan to regenerate Withington Village is set to be adopted following a consultation posted out to over a thousand properties in the area.
After consultation information was sent to more than 1,200 properties in the south Manchester suburb in January of this year – supplemented by COVID-secure online events – to agree a long-term strategy to support future investment in the area, Manchester City Council has revealed that local residents, organisations and businesses have shown “overwhelming support” for proposals to improve and develop Withington Village.
90% of respondents either strongly agreed, or agreed with the proposals set out in the framework.
The Withington Village Framework will aim to establish a vision for Withington as a liveable place, generate confidence in the area for future investment, provide support for future funding bids, and resent options for how future design and investment could be achieved.
According to Manchester City Council, some of the key findings from the consultation include responses related to reducing the levels of traffic in the village, with a view to making the area more pedestrian and cycling friendly, alongside strong support for reducing the number of junctions onto Wilmslow Road though the village, as well as the introduction of wider pavements, limiting the number of loading bays on the high street and improving pedestrian crossings.
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Significant support was also received around the potential to pedestrianise Copson Street, while ensuring local access.
Another common theme of the respondents was around increasing greenery and tree planting in the area, along with more opportunities for public parks and family friendly public spaces, and improving the look and feel of the high street was high on the agenda too, with the wish to see shop front and signage improved, as well as the express hope to attract more independent businesses.
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The conversation and celebration of Withington Village’s rich history was also often brought up, including the area’s diversity, which should be celebrated.
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Speaking on the consultation findings, Councillor Suzanne Richards – Manchester City Council’s Executive Member for Housing and Regeneration – said: “We have a community in Withington that is incredibly committed to driving positive change in and their partnership approach and dedication to improving their neighbourhood is impressive and has achieved real results already.
“The positive responses that we have received following the consultation early this year shows that we also have the support of the wider community and we will continue to work closely with the Withington Partnership as individual schemes are brought forward.
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“Hopefully increased investment in the village will follow”.
Dave Payne, Chair of the Withington Village Regeneration Partnership – a committed collective of local groups and initiatives set up in 2017 to actively pursue a community led policy and encourage positive regeneration in Withington – added: “This feels somewhat momentus in the lifespan of the village.
“Our group has been working for the last five years to develop proposals for schemes to improve and enhance our neighbourhood.
“I’m pleased to see that previous projects – such as Withington Walls – has been broadly welcomed by the local community, and we should look forward to further strides to bring positive investment in the coming months and years.”
The Withington Village Framework will be heard by the Manchester City Council’s Economy Scrutiny Committee today (Thursday 11th March) ahead of agreement by the council’s Executive next Wednesday 17th March.
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Once formally adopted, individual projects will be developed as part of the improvement plans for the local community.
You can find more information via the Manchester City Council website here.
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Manchester Museum saves a ‘national treasure’ to ensure it stays in the UK
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Museum has made a stunning new addition to its natural history collections, and in the process has ensured a ‘national treasure’ stays in the UK.
Not long after claiming the coveted title of European Museum of the Year for 2025, Manchester Museum has done it again – this time working together with John Rylands Library to acquire Henry Dresser’s unique personal copy of his anthology A History of the Birds of Europe so that this ‘invaluable resource’ can remain in the UK for future generations.
The beautifully-illustrated collection of books provide an important historical record to help understand how and why bird populations have changed over time.
Dresser’s personal copy is heavily-annotated with personal notes and observations.
These books are deemed to be of ‘outstanding significance’, not only for scientific purposes but also for their aesthetic value, as they have also been illustrated by some of the leading wildlife artists of the day.
The volumes were recognised as a national treasure by the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest, which is supported by the Arts Council, and this meant that the Government placed a temporary export deferral on them to allow time for UK buyers to raise the funds to keep them in the country.
Brilliantly, the acquisition of these books reunites them with Dresser’s own bird specimens that are already cared for by Manchester Museum, including species such as the Slender-billed curlew, which is now believed to be extinct.
The now-extinct species’ presence in both Dresser’s beautifully-annotated volumes and the ornithological collections at Manchester Museum highlights the vital role that historical records play in tracking biodiversity loss over time to uncover the long-term impact of environmental change.
Manchester Museum has saved a ‘national treasure’ to ensure it stays in the UK / Credit: Manchester Museum
“Threats to the natural world and biodiversity have never been greater and while this anthology has historical value, it also speaks to the urgent issues of the present,” commented Esme Ward, who is the Director of Manchester Museum.
“These books are breathtakingly beautiful, and by bringing them together with natural history collections, we believe they will not only provide scientific benefit, but also capture the hearts of future ornithologists and conservationists.”
A History of the Birds of Europe will be officially unveiled at a private view on Friday 27 June, before being displayed to the public for the first time in Manchester Museum’s ‘Living Worlds’ gallery from Saturday 28 June 2025 right through until Sunday 25 January 2026.
Following this, the books will be made accessible to researchers, students, and the wider public at the John Rylands Library.
Featured Image – Chris Bull (via Manchester Museum)
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Channel 4 to air exclusive new documentary about the disappearance and death of Lancashire teen Jay Slater
Emily Sergeant
An exclusive new documentary taking an inside look at the the disappearance of Jay Slater is coming to Channel 4.
On the morning of 17 June 2024, 19-year-old Jay Slater – an apprentice bricklayer from the Lancashire town of Oswaldtwistle – disappeared on the island of Tenerife in Spain, after attempting to walk 14 hours back to his accommodation when there was no local taxi service available and no bus due for 90 minutes.
From then commenced one of the biggest missing persons cases in recent British history.
As the world’s media were following the story minute by minute last summer, producers at Channel 4 were in the incredibly-unique position where they had access to the Coronial process in Lancashire, and this has led to the exclusive documentary title The Disappearance of Jay Slater.
From Jay’s post-mortem to Jay’s inquest, the team have been with the family every step of the way over the last year, as they try and understand exactly what happened to Jay outside of the public gaze
Jay was ultimately pronounced dead on 15 July 2024 after Spanish police reported the discovery of a body in the vicinity of the area of interest, but before this discovery and eventual announcement, the internet became awash with public discourse, conspiracy theories, and more.
The Disappearance of Jay Slater is described as being ‘the family’s story’.
Channel 4 will air an exclusive new documentary about the disappearance and death of Lancashire teen Jay Slater / Credit: GoFundMe
The documentary is set to follow them as they search for answers about what happened to Jay, witnessing the conspiracy theories raging online and the subsequent horrific abuse they received as a family – which is an hourly onslaught that continues to this day.
These cameras were the only media in the world granted full access to film both Jay’s post-mortem and inside the church at his funeral.
But the broadcaster claims this documentary is not only the story of Jay’s tragedy, it’s also the story of ‘the new world we live in’ where so-called true crime armchair detectives run wild.
“The story of Jay Slater captured the nation last summer with a fervour and intensity fuelled by armchair detectives and internet culture,” commented Channel 4’s Commissioning Editor, Rita Daniels, ahead of the documentary airing.
“We are so glad to be working on a sensitively handled exploration of the family’s experience, and understanding the impact of being in the middle of a social media storm, amplified by grief.
“The film holds a light up to our current society and is exactly the story that is a necessity for Channel 4 to tell.”
Executive Producer Anna Hall added: “It is appalling what has happened to Jay’s family, and we hope this film will help to bring awareness of the real life consequences of online speculation. It is an unmonitored world where fake news runs rife, and this film shows the devastating impact this has had on one grieving family.”
The Disappearance of Jay Slater is expected to air on Channel 4 later this year, but no official dates have been confirmed as of yet, so keep your eyes peeled.
Emily Sergeant -
11th March 2021 
