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Fingertip Facts - LIVIA
Size: 170ha
NWDA investment: £8.5 million
Partners: NWDA, the Forestry Commission, Salford City Council, Bury Council, United Utilities
Status: the first phase of LIVIA (in Salford) is complete, work underway on LIVIA Bury
Past
LIVIA has had a varied and colourful past. It seems to have developed as the ‘backyard’ for the area with heavy industry such as a colliery, power station and two sewage works being its past main uses. The remains of the Manchester, Bury and Bolton canal also run through the project area and, although it was once a well-used resource for local industry, it is now damaged and derelict and adds to the feeling of neglect.
Fly tipping, vandalism and motorbike scrambling make the area dangerous, unwelcoming and ultimately forces down its value for local people and Greater Manchester. The nearby residential areas, the M62 and the Manchester to Bolton railway line all have to suffer this outlook.
LIVIA also makes up part of Red Rose Forest - Greater Manchester’s Community Forest which is delivering environmental improvement projects across large parts of the Manchester City Region. Red Rose Forest’s project, Green Tips, was an early precursor to Newlands, and worked on part of LIVIA. However, significant investment was needed to expand this work across the whole LIVIA project area.
Present
A large part of LIVIA has been completely transformed through Newlands, and is already being well used by local people. Paths and cycleways have made the varied terrain of this site much more accessible. They also now link the site to the Irwell sculpture trail as well as other local country parks, meaning that LIVIA has become part of a much larger ‘green space network’. LIVIA also now boasts a play area, climbing boulders (which are attracting organised climbing groups, as well as informal users) and an outdoor classroom. All of these features are changing people’s perceptions of the site and encouraging use by a much wider range of people. This makes LIVIA feel safer, and like an integral part of the local community.
In February 2009, the NWDA announced an additional £3.8million of funding to regenerate the part of LIVIA that is within the Bury Council border. Work has begun on this project, including the creation of 13.7km of new foot and cycle paths as well as extensive habitat management and development. The feasibility of developing a technical mountain bike course on site is also being explored. This work will take the total size of LIVIA to 170ha – the largest site in the Newlands programme.
Future
At 170ha, spanning three local authority areas and boasting a diverse mix of habitats and facilities, LIVIA is aiming to attract visitors from across the Greater Manchester area. It will also provide much needed managed green space for local residents. LIVIA will promote active and healthy living (with its cycle routes, sports facilities and play areas). It will also encourage community cohesion and tackling what was once a blight on the local area, LIVIA will be a beacon project for Newlands, and importantly it will deliver to the people and businesses of Manchester City Region an area of parkland on the scale of New York’s Central Park.
With long-term management by the Forestry Commission, LIVIA has the potential to continue to grow and evolve, for the good of the local area, and the region as a whole.Regeneration
How Newlands at LIVIA is helping your local economy
The regeneration of LIVIA will create a key gateway site on the M60 and help to transform the Northern Way Growth Corridor and the City Region of Manchester. LIVIA will help attract business investment to the Agecroft Commerce Park and Clifton Industrial Estate and tackle the needs of an area in the top 10% of the national Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD).
Rejuvenation of LIVIA will provide a green corridor to the countryside for Central Salford URC as well as green space for the New Deal for Communities area. LIVIA will help to reduce worklessness through economic inclusion projects and contribute to the Croal Irwell Regional Park.