Bosses of the vast Therme Manchester resort planned for a site next to the Trafford Centre say they have receiving "overwhelming" public support for their new design. They opened a public consultation after announcing a new look for the £250m development last month which features an undulating roof and pavillion-style concept.
Inside, the resort will feature 25 pools, 30 water slides, saunas, wellbeing studios, swim-up bars and restaurants. Bosses opened a public consultation into the new design, which features a new rippling wave construction in what will be a landmark development in the north west.
They say that 91 per cent of responses to the new plans have shown "overwhelming support". And they've had more than double the responses to this consultation than when the plans were first submitted back in 2019.
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The formal plans have now been lodged with Trafford Council, with the hope of being approved in the next couple of months. The plans are still for work to start on the site before the end of the year, with a scheduled opening in 2025.
Earlier this year there was much excitement when the initial stages of the development began with the full clearance of the former Event City site, next to Trafford Palazzo. Therme Manchester will spread across that vast site to become what is being billed as "the UK's first city-based wellbeing resort".
In a statement released today, Therme Manchester said it had submitted the refined new design to Trafford Council for approval. Outline permission for the development has already been granted and the Manchester site will follow on from the popular Therme in Bucharest, Romania - although will be DOUBLE the size of that resort.
The statement said: "The concept for the project has transitioned, from primarily a single building with zones and an undulating roofline, to a flowing pavilion-style concept. This new design features separate connected structures that are immersed and enveloped in a natural landscape, with a revised location for car parking and enhanced connectivity with public transport.
"The public consultation has shown overwhelming support with 91% of the responses towards the new design agreeing that it is even more impressive than the original, with the carbon footprint being one of the most important considerations. Therme Group have given their support for a district heating network that Peel L&P are promoting, to make rapid progress in the transition to low carbon heating."
The company has also announced it has enlisted the services of Fletcher Priest - a London-based architectural and design practice, and one of the largest in the United Kingdom - as Collaborating Architects. They are providing support to Therme ARC, Therme Group's in-house architecture practice and design company, with a series of design innovations.
Additionally, the group has engaged GROSS.MAX., an Edinburgh-based firm responsible for the landscape design. GROSS.MAX. has also assisted Therme ARC in developing the concept within the broader urban landscape.
The new design includes three entrances to welcome guests arriving from all directions. Enhanced access will also be provided for cyclists and pedestrians using public transport. A newly landscaped green boulevard will cater to individuals arriving by car to Therme Manchester and the nearby Trafford Palazzo.
The new on-site parking arrangements will be "seamlessly integrated into the natural environment". Meanwhile the new design also boasts a roof terrace for customers with views of the Bridgewater Canal. They have also committed to using heat pumps and solar panels above the car park and on the roof of the logistics hub.
There will also be a new route to the Bridgewater Canal to "improve the link between the resort and Manchester city centre". It is hoped to deliver increased access for pedestrians and cyclists.
At the heart of the new design lies an urban wellbeing garden, inspired by an English meadow.
The statement added: "Therme Group have taken on board the comments from the public consultation and will continue to listen and engage with community groups, in the Therme Manchester post-planning design work, to ensure the development delivers optimum access to all.
"Pending planning approval, the £250 million construction is set to commence later this year, with an estimated duration of 24 months for completion."
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