Construction is now underway on the UK’s first ‘mobility hub’ in Ancoats, Manchester.
The hub follows a new concept in urban design, developed in partnership between Manchester City Council and Manchester Life.
This design prioritises green investment, public space and sustainable and active travel while taking parked cars and other vehicles off local roads.
The Ancoats Mobility Hub aims to reduce vehicle movements around Ancoats by incorporating parking for new homes, a delivery centre, car share clubs and cycle hire schemes within one location.
In addition to dedicated parking, it will be equipped with over 100 EV charging points and 150 secure bike parking spots.
To further reduce vehicle movements on local roads, the delivery centre will receive parcels for local residents, which will be collected by the recipients or transferred via small electric vans and cargo bikes.
This project supports Manchester’s stated ambition to become zero carbon by 2038, while allowing more development space to be allocated for active street fronts and community spaces, rather than parked cars.
In numbers, the mobility hub will include:
- 150 secure bike parking spaces and changing facilities
- 102 EV charging points, with the potential to increase this number in the future
- Up to 30 spaces for car club schemes
- 406 car parking spaces for residents and visitors to limit on-street car parking
- 1370 square metres of new public realm connected to Ancoats Green
- Over 1500 square metres of rooftop solar panels
- Over 400 square metres of green wall and 950 square metres of planted façade
- A parcel delivery hub for final mile collection
- Space for a new café
- A new commercial unit
This development is expected to completed by the end of 2024. Bowmer + Kirkland have been selected as the contractors, while Buttres are the primary architects.
