The build of Therme Manchester, which is set to be the UK’s largest wellbeing resort, is finally underway, with a loose opening date announced.
The construction phase of the massive spa project begins this month – when it completes, it will be made up of 10 pools, 15 waterslides, sustainable gardens and a diverse range of restaurants and cafes.
The entire thing will be kept at a balmy 33ºC all year round using advanced technology, with warm water lagoons, botanical gardens and palm trees giving the site a real tropical feel.
Therme Manchester was initially touted as a £250m project that would complete in 2025 – it’s now up to £450m and is scheduled to complete for the end of 2028.
It marks one of the most significant building developments to ever take place in the North.
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Last week, a Beyond Groundbreaking event was held at the site of the new wellbeing resort near the Trafford Centre, bringing together local leaders, partners, and community members.
There, it was announced that Therme Manchester is set to create around 2,500 direct construction jobs, as well as 650 staff positions to operate the resort when it opens.
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The business has already supported initiatives across the city, including the Manchester Marathon, NHS programmes and cultural events.
The latest on Therme Manchester opening date as construction finally begins on huge wellbeing resort
Therme Manchester is setting out to have a ‘significantly lower’ carbon footprint than other spa experiences, helped along by locally-sourced materials, and innovative construction methods such as air source heat pumps and on-site 3D printing.
As well as state-of-the-art swimming and thermal bathing areas, there’ll be spa and fitness zones, immersive digital art, sustainable gardens and a diverse range of restaurants and cafes.
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Professor David Russell, Therme UK CEO said: “Today marks the official beginning of a once-in-a-generation project for Manchester and the North West.
“Therme Manchester will be a place for everyone – a unique destination where wellbeing, sustainability, art and culture come together. Our vision is to make a lasting positive impact: creating jobs, supporting communities, and helping people live healthier, happier lives for years to come.”
James Whittaker, Managing Director of Peel Waters said: “We’re thrilled to have reached this pivotal moment as work begins on site at Therme Manchester.
The site of Therme Manchester in Trafford
“It marks the culmination of years of close collaboration between Peel Waters and Therme Group, an extraordinary partnership built on shared values and wanting to deliver the very best for our community.
“From our very first meeting, we knew Therme’s vision would be transformational, and together we’ve worked tirelessly to get to this moment and start the build of this world-class wellness destination in TraffordCity.
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“Therme Manchester will be a true gamechanger not just for TraffordCity, but for Greater Manchester and the North. It will regenerate a key site, create thousands of jobs, and deliver a landmark experience that promotes health, happiness, and connection.
“We’re very proud to be part of a project that will completely redefine leisure and wellbeing in the UK and Europe.”
An aerial view of how Therme Manchester will look
Neil Martin, Chief Executive at Sir Robert McAlpine, said: “We are proud to be Construction Manager for Therme Manchester, a project that aligns with our commitment to sustainability, technical excellence and making a meaningful difference to communities.
“We look forward to delivering this world-class destination that will transform wellbeing and benefit TraffordCity and the wider region for generations to come.”
A spokesperson from Trafford Council said: “The Therme project is fantastic news for Trafford, and I am delighted that construction work has started on this one-in-a-lifetime scheme. The resort will attract millions of visitors each year and will provide hundreds of construction jobs and full-time jobs for the borough.
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“Therme Manchester is a fantastic, visionary development and it supports several of our key commitments – helping provide a thriving economy, improving health and wellbeing and regenerating a vacant brownfield site in a sustainable location.”
In pictures – A rare Bornean baby orangutan has been born at Chester Zoo
Daisy Jackson
A tiny Bornean orangutan has been born at Chester Zoo, with heartwarming new pictures showing the baby with its mum Leia.
The arrival of the critically-endangered infant has been hailed as an ‘important step forward’ in the efforts to safeguard the species.
Photos shared today Chester Zoo show the new arrival clinging to its experienced mum Leia, looking – if we’re being honest – quite furious to be here.
But the infants adorably grumpy face is a huge moment for the zoo and the species, which is highly threatened due to deforestation, illegal hunting and conflict with people.
This ranks them as a species requiring the highest conservation priority, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Chris Yarwood, Assistant Team Manager of Primates at Chester Zoo, said: “Leia is a wonderful mum. She’s extremely attentive and has spent the first few days holding her baby close, feeding regularly and forming a really strong maternal bond. It’s a huge privilege to witness.
“The baby is still tiny and we haven’t yet been able to determine the sex – but what really matters is that it’s healthy and that Leia is doing a brilliant job, as we knew she would.
“Any birth of a Bornean orangutan is incredibly special given how threatened the species is. It’s an important step forward for the international conservation breeding efforts that are working to prevent this iconic animal from disappearing forever.”
The tropical forests of Borneo – the only place on Earth where Bornean orangutans are found in the wild – have suffered devastating losses in recent decades, with more than 40% lost since the year 2000 due to unsustainable palm oil production, logging, agricultural expansion, poaching and illegal hunting.
Bornean orangutans are one of three orangutan species, all of which are critically endangered. Chester Zoo is the only zoo in the UK to care for two of them – the Sumatran and Bornean orangutan.
As one of the planet’s closest living relatives to humans, they play a vital role in maintaining the health of their rainforest ecosystems.
Cat Barton, Policy Lead on Deforestation-free Commodities at Chester Zoo, added: “Chester Zoo has worked with partners in Borneo for more than 20 years to safeguard wild orangutan populations, restore rainforest habitats and tackle the root causes of deforestation.
“Through long-term initiatives like wildlife corridors, community engagement and reducing human-wildlife conflict, we’ve supported efforts that have now helped the area where we work – the Kinabatangan – earn recognition as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. This is a huge milestone for our partners at HUTAN and for global conservation.
“Closer to home, we continue to champion the use of sustainably sourced palm oil, encouraging individuals and businesses to make better choices that protect rainforests and the countless species that depend on them.
“With palm oil found in so many everyday products – from biscuits to shampoo – choosing certified sustainable options is one of the simplest, most powerful actions people can take to help wildlife, including orangutans like Leia’s baby.”
Hardcastle Crags – the prettiest autumn walk in the North West with a great restaurant at the end
Daisy Jackson
This is the time of year where it’s particularly difficult to drag yourself off the sofa and into the great outdoors.
The weather isn’t quite crisp enough to feel festive and most of us (even the pumpkin spice latte, cardigan-clad crew) are missing the more reliable warmth of the summer months.
But autumn is here, like it or not, and it definitely has its perks.
One of which is the undeniable beauty the season brings.
It’s not just the blazing red, orange, yellow and brown leaves that suddenly take over the green spaces around the UK.
It’s also in the sunsets and sunrises that become so much easier to catch while the days are shorter (you have to admit, the commutes are prettier when they coincide with sunrise).
The riverside walk at Hardcastle Crags. Credit: Unsplash
And there aren’t many places better to soak in all the autumn beauty than Hardcastle Crags, just across the border in West Yorkshire.
The National Trust site sits between Leeds and Manchester and is a popular day trip destination for Mancs, given the trains that run regularly to Hebden Bridge.
A walking route around Hardcastle Crags at this time of year will take you through a landscape of blazing orange trees, babbling streams, and dappled sunlight.
When you catch a golden autumnal day the leaves will crunch underfoot, but even on a soggy day the leaf mulch has its own special kind of beauty here.
There are two walking routes between the main car park and Gibson Mill, a former 19th century cotton mill which is now home to a lovely cafe.
One will take you down to the river, where wooden boardwalks weave right along the water’s edge.
There are even stepping stones you can use to scamper across the river – a great Instagram pic, or just a way to keep the kids entertained for a few minutes.
A walk around Hardcastle Crags in Autumn. Credit: The Manc Group
The other route goes up through the upper woodland, where pine trees loom and you get a great view of the valley below.
For an easy loop, you can do both – a stroll through the trees, a stop for coffee and cake, then return along the river (or vice versa).
But with 15 miles of footpaths, you can explore way beyond that.
The National Trust’s list of walks includes everything from a wheelchair and pram-accessible estate track to peaceful woodland loops, to rocky scrambles and former railway lines.
And when you’re done with Hardcastle Crags itself, there’s a world-class restaurant in the gorgeous town centre itself.
Coin sits in the shell of the former Lloyd’s bank, with exposed brick and massive period windows, and specialises in natural wine and small plates.
When The Manc Eats visited, we found plates of freshly-cut meat and cheese served alongside ice-cold batched classic cocktails, where ‘quality is key, and it shines through on the plate’.
Our reviewer said: “With its higgledy-piggledy stone mill houses, surrounding woodland, hidden waterfalls and treasure-trove charity shops, Hebden Bridge is a popular attraction all of its own for those wanting to venture beyond the city. Coin is simply the cherry on top.”
Daisy Jackson -
15th September 2025 
