Following the purchase of a Store Street site in April 2021, HS2 have acquired their second site in the city centre within a 12-month period. The new purchase of Square One on Travis Street will accompany the aforementioned Store Street site in the construction of the of the new high-speed station that will be built adjacent to the existing Piccadilly Station. HS2 announced it had reached an agreement with Manchester property group Bruntwood to buy the land, for an undisclosed sum.
Under current plans, HS2 are estimating the project to be completed between 2035 and 2040, including a total of six platforms that will allow people to utilise the services of the HS2 as well as any future services provided by Northern Powerhouse Rail. These plans will also look to include an underground portion to the station, with a four platform Metrolink to be located underneath the HS2 station.
Ruth Todd, chief commercial officer at HS2 said:
“Following submission of the Bill earlier this year, seeking powers to construct and operate the railway between Crewe and Manchester, this acquisition represents another major milestone in our programme to bring high speed rail to the North.
“HS2’s purchase of Square One is a vote of confidence for investors locally and internationally to leverage the wider regeneration potential of the surrounding area, knowing that Manchester is set to become so brilliantly connected.”
The investments being made in and around Manchester Piccadilly Station are vital, not just for the HS2 expansion throughout the north, but also for the economic growth of Manchester City Centre. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps recently sat down with the Transport Committee, where Shapps was questioned about the state of Manchester’s stations, to which even he would admit “there will be very large amounts of construction around Manchester Piccadilly.” The underdeveloped nature of Piccadilly ensures its status as prime location in regard to new investment for the likes of housing, commercial space and job opportunities for the local residents.
Investment in the transport system would see businesses, residents and visitors benefit from a 41-minute connection to Birmingham on HS2 – a 46-minute saving – with direct services from London Euston set to more than halve, cutting one hour and 12 minutes off the current fastest journey time.
This drastic improvement towards journey times will hopefully see drastic improvements to overall profits for the station and rail networks around the region. Taking note of this, Bruntwood have established their desire to use the proceeds to continue investing in the UK’s regional centres. Pete Bearpark, asset management director at Bruntwood, said:
“We are committed to creating thriving places and communities, and after 15 years under Bruntwood stewardship, we have agreed to the sale of Square One and the land surrounding it to HS2 in advance of a formal compulsory purchase process.
“We will use the proceeds to continue to reinvest into regional cities to drive economic growth and have a positive impact on businesses and communities.”
The continued development of the HS2 project will see major improvements, not just for the rail industry, but for northern cities that have long been been crying out for investment.
