The huge face of a historic Manchester mill is currently being offered up as a blank canvas, ready for a local artist to add to the city’s flourishing art scene.
Developers Capital & Centric are on the hunt for a talented muralist to deliver a striking, permanent piece in Piccadilly East.
And it’s a big one – the successful artist will be tasked with designing a piece for the five-storey west side wall on Neptune Mill.
They’ll also be in charge of the tower rising above it and a smaller spot, with developers looking for a bold, impactful design.
The plan is that the huge mural will help to turn the building into an eye-catching fixture in the city and turn the heads of Manchester’s passionate art seekers.
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The paid commission will be completed before residents move in this summer.
Neptune Mill, a 19th century building on Chapeltown Street, is currently being converted into 22,000 sq ft of creative workspaces.
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Original features like exposed brick, timber beams, huge windows and cast iron columns will be retained, along with contemporary elements.
And Capital & Centric themselves – who are also behind huge projects in Manchester like Kampus and Stockport’s Weir Mill – will be moving their HQ into the building.
As they announce the hunt for a muralist, they’ve also released a new artist impression of a lush new courtyard with outdoor seating for a ground floor coffee shop.
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A new CGI of a courtyard at Neptune Mill, Capital & Centric’s new development. Credit: Supplied
Tom Wilmot, joint managing director at Capital&Centric, said: “Manchester’s street art scene is thriving, bringing colour and creativity to the city’s streets.
“Increasingly, some of the pieces are connected to brands and only available for a short spell for people to marvel at. We want to hand over Neptune Mill to a talented artist to paint the piece they’ve always wanted to deliver, creating a permanent fixture on Manchester’s scene.
“The piece will mark the start of the building’s next chapter as a five-storey hub for businesses that want a creative, beautiful base.
“The on-site coffee shop and new courtyard will be really cool spaces where people can spend time and meet like-minded neighbouring businesses.
“Work on site’s progressing well and the first occupiers will be able to move in and call Neptune home this summer.”
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So, if you’ve got artistic flair, this could be the job for you.
Those wanting to express interest in the paid-for street art commission, new workspaces available this summer, and the opportunity to operate the coffee shop can contact: [email protected] or visit www.capitalandcentric.com/neptune-mill
Manchester’s skyline crowned one of the most ‘beautiful’ in the world
Emily Sergeant
Manchester’s skyline is constantly changing.
Every day, it seems as though a new crane pops up, or plans get submitted to build another new building that’ll alter the landscape of our city, and although some residents aren’t the biggest fan of this, others can still see Manchester‘s beauty regardless.
There are some stunning – and truly iconic – skylines across the world, from New York City to Dubai, and everything in between.
And according to a new study, Manchester is one of them.
Although our city probably wouldn’t be the first to spring to mind when asked to name picturesque skylines, its growth and evolution means it’s been crowned the world’s 46th most beautiful, according to gaming platform Slingo.
Manchester’s skyline has been crowned one of the most ‘beautiful’ in the world / Credit: Chris Curry | Josh Taylor (via Unsplash)
Famous for iconic buildings like Beetham Tower and Deansgate Square that attract a huge number of visitors each year, Manchester’s skyline is said to be ‘one that every traveller needs to visit and admire in their lifetime’.
Manchester ranks among capital cities, business hubs, and popular tourist destinations on the list of iconic skylines from around the world, with New York City taking the coveted top spot and other legendary places such as Chicago, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Melbourne all featuring in the top 10.
To calculate the most aesthetically pleasing skylines, each city’s skyline was processed to determine its aspect ratio, with the renowned golden ratio (1.618) used as a benchmark for aesthetic balance, and then the final rankings were created by combining this score with the number of Instagram posts and hashtags for each city’s skyline.
It ranks among other iconic cities like New York City, Dubai, and Mumbai / Credit: Fran Serra (via Unsplash)
Manchester’s skyline may already be ‘beautiful’ enough as it is, but of course, it’s set evolve in the future with skyscraper developments planned.
Trinity Islands, a proposed residential development comprising five towers, mixed-use developments St Michael’s and Viadux, and residential skyscraper One Heritage Tower, are just a few of the projects planned.
Manchester has changed a lot over the past decade, but how will it look in the next 10 years? That, we’ll just have to wait and see.
Featured Image – Mylo Kaye (via Unsplash)
Property
Plans submitted to demolish 54-year-old Greater Manchester shopping centre
Emily Sergeant
Detailed plans have officially been submitted for the demolition of a once-thriving shopping centre that’s stood standing for half a century.
You may remember that Bolton Council purchased the Crompton Place shopping centre back in 2018 as part of its town centre regeneration masterplan, with the intent to demolish the building’s original structure and use the newly-cleared space for public performances, events, pop-up markets and loads more.
Pending approval later this year, the Council has now formally submitted demolition plans, with the process taking just 50 weeks and being completed in a single phase.
Visitors to Bolton town centre are expected to ‘quickly see the benefits’ of the demolition, according to the Council, thanks to the reintroduction of a direct pedestrian route between Victoria Square and Bradshawgate.
Ahead of the long-term use of the space, the Council says this so-called ‘meanwhile use’ in the short period between demolition and the start of new developments will ensure the area remains ‘vibrant’ and continues to attract visitors to the town centre in order to support local businesses.
Plans have been submitted to demolish a 54-year-old Greater Manchester shopping centre / Credit: Geograph
The transformation of Crompton Place is Bolton’s flagship redevelopment project and work is said to be ‘well underway’ to find the right developers for the site.
Planning was previously granted for a mixed-use development to replace Crompton Place, including leisure and hospitality venues, but once developers are appointed, they will hold a public consultation on the future for the site – including how it’ll benefit the wider town centre.
The demolition of Crompton Place follows years of work to relocate the former tenants of the shopping centre elsewhere in the town centre.
“This demolition plan marks the start of a truly transformational project in the heart of Bolton town centre,” commented Bolton Council Leader Nick Peel, as the plans were formally detailed and submitted this week.
“Last year saw several regeneration projects successfully delivered, but the start of work on Crompton Place sends a clear signal that Bolton means business.
“We have already had significant interest in the site, and we are confident that investment in the site will attract even more developers to other parts of the town centre.”
The Manc -
9th April 2024 
