Manchester's new 330-metre urban park that is in the sky

Ambitious plans to create a new urban park in Manchester’s skies begin in earnest today — with it set to open this summer.

The Castlefield viaduct project will transform half of a 330-metre section of former railway line into parkland for a year.

Set to open in July, the National Trust says the initial pilot park will be used to gather feedback on how to use the space going forward.

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The £1.8 million scheme will see new planting, information boards, and an all-weather area installed on the derelict grade-II listed structure, which has not been used since the Great Northern Warehouse closed to trains in 1969.

“This is a hugely significant moment in our plans for creating a unique green space to benefit the surrounding community and to bring more nature to people's doorsteps,” the Trust’s director-general, Hilary McGrady, said. “The project is also a fantastic way to celebrate our industrial heritage, bringing it to life for the 21st Century.

"The pandemic showed us the importance of our local parks and gardens, but it also highlighted significant inequalities in access to green space in urban areas like Manchester.”

On the opening of the park, 100 people will be able to visit daily, with free tickets open to the public and not just National Trust members.

In the meantime, the four-month project will see Manchester Cheshire Construction, celebrating its 50th anniversary, undertake a huge programme of engineering works.

That includes strengthening the Victorian brickwork so if can support heavy machinery to clear the current debris.

“We are absolutely delighted and incredibly proud to be a pivotal part of the regeneration of