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1. Past

Moston Vale lies in what was the Moston Brook valley - an area with a very colourful past. The area was once the site of the Manchester Fever Hospital (1871-1973) and Manchester United, then Newton Heath FC, had their pitch a stones throw away.

During the Second World War, the area suffered serious bomb damage and in the late 1960s the site became a domestic landfill - the stream that once flowed through Moston Brook was covered and now runs 30ft underground.

The area has always been well used by residents - the Dogs Home and Riding Stables are popular local features and Moston Valley football club has been set up as a local youth team.

In recent times however, parts of the site had become severely neglected and anti-social behaviour (fly tipping and joy riding) had made the site a bit of an eyesore and dangerous in places. Subsidence caused manhole covers to stand proud and glass and other materials from the landfill had resurfaced.

Red Rose Forest, through their landfill restoration project, Green Tips, has been working at Moston Vale for some time - carrying out work to help secure the site and introduce the community back to the area, with various events and school activities. However, significant investment was needed to expand this work across the whole project area.

2. Present

Moston Vale has been transformed into a quality area for recreation and a pleasant community woodland.

Native woodland, wildflower meadows and a recycled gravel footpath have all been created. A new sports pitch for Moston Valley football club, along with changing facilities will establish the area as valuable recreation space. New solar powered lighting along the Moston Valley Way, street trees planted with assistance from local communities and the Green Streets project both complement the improvements made.

Located in the centre of North Manchester's Housing Market Renewal Area and next to the Central Park business complex, Moston Vale is valuable green space which enhances the investment appeal of the area. Additional grant funding from Biffaward has help to create additional facilities for sport and informal recreation. Moston Vale now provides many more benefits for the local community than it did as a closed landfill site and the improvements have created a quality setting for new investment.

3. Future

Moston Vale has been transformed into a practical, attractive landscape. Community involvement, enhanced security, management and maintenance will prevent the site becoming neglected in the future.

Moston Vale has some unique and stunning features - not least the solar powered lighting along the 'blue path' - which look fantastic and which also bring an additional sense of security to the site at night.

The on-site football pitch and changing rooms which has been developed as part of the project provide a home for the local junior football team.

Groundwork are also very active on the Moston Vale site, holding regular events and activities for the community, including Summer and Christmas fairs, sports matches and children's activities. Groundwork have also helped local people to produce their own book and CD ROM charting the history of the site - inspired by the Newlands project.

4. Regeneration

The regeneration of Moston Vale will help to increase inward investment into the North Manchester area over the next few years. By transforming the site into a well maintained, attractive landscape, Moston Vale will start to enhance the adjacent Central business park. The site will also drive new investment into Harpurhey and the surrounding neighbourhoods.

The rejuvenation of Moston Vale will also add value to the adjacent Housing Market Renewal (HMR) site, assist in the transformation of a strategic regional site and also help to tackle the needs of an area in the top 5% of the national Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD).

Worklessness in the surrounding areas will also be addressed through a range of economic inclusion projects to be developed over the forthcoming years.