Wythenshawe is proud of its community values, whether it’s saying hello over the garden fence or over 100 community groups and clubs, it’s home for over 70,000 people.
Wythenshawe is growing. The population of Wythenshawe has increased from a low point of 66,000 in 2001 to more than 70,000 in 2007.
10% of Wythenshawe’s population are from black or ethnic minority communities. Less than 30,000 of Wythenshawe’s 70,000 residents are under 30; less than 15,000 are under 16.
More than £32 million has been invested recently by Manchester City Council and partners in new community buildings, providing learning, health, leisure, childcare, sport and other activities for adults and children.
£24 million transformation of the Forum in Wythenshawe Town Centre led by Manchester City Council, which includes a library, health centre (NHS walk in centre, GP’S & dentists), leisure centre (gym, swimming pool & sports hall), learning centre, nursery, café, newsagent and event spaces for all the community — it is the only modern centre of this size in the whole city.
The £4 million Woodhouse Park Lifestyle Centre and £2.5m Benchill Community Centre provide a range of sporting, education and community facilities for the whole family. Led and funded by Manchester City Council and Willow Park Housing Trust.
The Addy Adventure Playground just outside Wythenshawe Town Centre was redeveloped in 2005 with an investment of £1.25 million and was designed with input from local young people. The playground has numerous facilities for very young children through to 19 year olds and includes a climbing wall and aerial walkways as well as Sure Start services. The Addy was funded in by a partnership which included Manchester City Council, SureStart Benchill, Sport England, the Willow Park Housing Trust and GMPTE.
Wythenshawe has a wide variety of community groups actively engaging with and run by local people, these range from Wythenshawe Irish Association, Manchester Tamil Association and Maharlika — the Filipino community association — through to Northenden Civic Society, Knit-one-talk-two — the library knitting group — as well as numerous resident and tenants’ associations and young people’s forums.
Northenden has recently secured the future of its Farmers & Produce Market. The market brings independent traders from Manchester and the Northwest including Wythenshawe Farm to the area to encourage local shopping for locally sourced produce. Attracting up to 7,000 shoppers when first launched according to the recent Manchester Markets survey.
Manchester City Council and its partners — St Modwen, GMPTE, Manchester Airport, Willow Park Housing Trust and English Partnerships, have developed a master plan for Wythenshawe Town Centre to guide major change. Improvements are already underway; Asda have opened their new 60,000 sq.ft. store, and a new row of retail shops and offices is under construction through St Modwen’s. Wythenshawe Market’s food hall offers a range of produce from family businesses and local producers.
