Manchester plans to transform railway arches revealed

The arches have been derelict and deserted for years

Plans to turn a row of little-used railway arches into shops, bars, restaurants and cafes have been revealed.

The 10 arches on Corporation Street in Manchester city centre are due to be redeveloped.

The £4m scheme is part of a national project by The Arch Company to bring 1,000 empty or derelict spaces across England and Wales back in use by 2030.

The developer now owns 253 spaces in Manchester and Salford.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said the arches were the largest of their kind outside London.

Plans submitted to Manchester City Council revealed details of the scheme.

Plans showed how the redeveloped arches could look

Documents described the arches as appearing "dirty" due to graffiti and the effects of pollution and water damage.

The Arch Company said its investment in them - which is part of the £200m Project 1000 scheme - would help them "realise their potential and create a vibrant environment".

Portfolio asset manager Rob Roddy said: "Corporation Street is a fantastic location for leisure and retail businesses to make their own - we see incredible potential in these railway arches.

"As part of our development plan, Project 1000, we're committed to investing in 1,000 spaces by 2030 and hope these arches in Manchester will form part of these plans."

A view from inside one of the arches

The Arch Company is already redeveloping arches on Temperance Street and Bennett Street.

The developer purchased a range of spaces from Network Rail.

The Pop-up Bikes shop currently located in the arches on Corporation Street will remain occupied throughout the redevelopment, the company said.

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