Community set for a new direction

Strategy aims to arrest long-term decline of once-thriving village centre

- LEE GRIMSDITCH

ONE of south Manchester's most popular suburban centres is on the brink of change.

The stretch of Wilmslow Road that runs through Withington has long maintained the air of a traditional village close to the heart of Manchester. But many locals feel the petals have long fallen off a high street once renowned for its choice of thriving, independent businesses.

To combat what some feel has been a steady decline, Manchester council has been working on a long-term strategy for the village to become a 'liveable, loveable place that meets all the needs of a diverse local community' by 2030.

New government cash is set to revitalise Withington by creating a new public square near the library, and making shopping thoroughfare Copson Street a 'pedestrian priority area Originally, the council planned to fully pedestrianise the road, but local businesses were against the idea, the authority said.