'A bit of Europe creeping in': new trees on Deansgate aim to bring cafe culture to one of Manchester's busiest streets
Twelve sweet gum trees in beehive-shaped planters have been installed outside the Great Northern as part of a push for more outdoor seating and greener streets. They will turn "striking" red and gold in autumn.
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New trees on Deansgate are aimed at injecting "a bit of Europe" into one of Manchester's busiest streets and encouraging more cafe culture in the city centre.
Twelve sweet gum trees have been planted in beehive-shaped planters between the pavement and cycleway outside the Great Northern. The trees were chosen because they can thrive in Manchester's weather, and in autumn their dark green leaves will turn "striking" red and gold.
The pop-up display, which also includes recycled velodrome track and two brightly coloured bike ports for cycle parking, will be on Deansgate for 12 months before the trees are moved to a permanent home.
It was set up by CyanLines, working with Manchester City Council, City of Trees, CityCo and Great Northern. The changes come more than a year after Deansgate was revamped to become more cycle-friendly, a move that proved controversial among some businesses and motorists.
What do the organisers say?
Steve Connor, programme director at CyanLines, said: "We have got a tiny little bit of Europe creeping in here. What we've created is a space that feels like it's crying out for a bit of cafe culture. This end of Deansgate is becoming more and more popular and if we use a bit of nature to soften it and make it more enjoyable for people, that would be really exciting."
Mark Schofield, centre director at Great Northern, said: "It slows people down because they want to stop and investigate. It changes the look and feel of Deansgate, it softens everything up and it will also help with traffic noise."
Jess Thompson, chief executive of City of Trees, said: "Trees can really transform a space. It has this thing that they call the linger effect, so within a city centre people like to linger amongst trees. It really supports that sense of a cafe culture and the businesses along this stretch."
Council leader Garry Bridges said: "While this may be a temporary installation, it's a welcome addition. The tree-lined section is just the start and we'll continue to work with local residents and businesses on Deansgate to develop new ideas to let nature thrive."
The wider CyanLines programme is aiming to create 100 miles of nature routes across Greater Manchester over the next 10 years.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What has been installed on Deansgate?
- Twelve sweet gum trees in beehive-shaped planters, along with two new brightly coloured bike ports and recycled velodrome track, have been placed outside the Great Northern.
- How long will the trees remain on Deansgate?
- The trees are part of a temporary pop-up display and will remain on the street for 12 months before being moved to a permanent location.
- Who is behind the Deansgate tree project?
- The installation is a joint effort involving Manchester City Council, the environmental charity City of Trees, CyanLines, CityCo, and Great Northern.