Work begins on Manchester Piccadilly’s first community garden

Passengers travelling through Manchester Piccadilly are set to benefit from an exciting new garden project, bringing colour and life to the station’s entrance.

From Monday 2 March, travellers will see work underway on the approach to the North West’s busiest railway station.

The Station Sanctuary project will see the grey, underused outdoor space just outside of the station evolve into a vibrant, biodiverse garden to welcome people and wildlife.

The garden will be open to the public in spring 2026, for commuters, visitors, and city residents to enjoy amid the bustle of Piccadilly station.

The scheme has been created through an innovative partnership between Network Rail, the National Trust, Sow the City, and Manchester Action on Street Health (MASH). It has also benefited from the support of Manchester City Council and Transport for Greater Manchester, alongside funding from United Utilities.

The space has been designed to offer a moment of calm and relaxation, with 40 modular rainwater planters, pillars, and seats that will be made by local community groups and volunteers.

The charity MASH offers support to women who are involved in sex work and have experienced homelessness. Through participation in the Station Sanctuary project, women have come together to co-design and co-create the garden. This initiative has inspired women to express their creativity and provides an opportunity to learn about nature and urban conservation.

Through nature-led design and pollinator-friendly planting, the garden will enhance urban biodiversity, contributing to a healthier local ecosystem. The garden will have information panels that will encourage visitors to explore the city’s other accessible green and blue spaces, as well as information on urban ecology. 

Rebecca Foy, Network Rail’s regeneration and placemaking specialist, said: “Manchester Piccadilly is both the welcome and farewell to our city, and through Station Sanctuary we’re shaping it to better reflect Manchester’s character and creativity."This project marks a new creative and collaborative approach for Network Rail. Together, we’re transforming an underused space into a greener, more colourful and more welcoming place where our passengers, visitors and local communities can relax and enjoy.”

Natalie Daring, Greater Manchester urban senior programme manager at the National Trust, said: "We’re so proud to celebrate the opening of this beautiful new garden, which has been shaped by the creativity and voices of the women from MASH. It’s a real reflection of what’s possible when communities are supported to make their brilliant ideas a reality. Here in Greater Manchester, the National Trust is working closely with local partners like Network Rail and Sow the City to connect people, nature and heritage in meaningful ways, and to understand and remove the barriers that too often stand in the way. This garden is a joyful example of that vision coming to life." 

Jon Ross, the founder and chief executive at Sow the City said: “As a Manchester-based organisation, we are incredibly proud to be transforming Piccadilly Station into a vibrant, green oasis. This garden will reconnect people with nature in one of the busiest parts of the city, and show that even the most unexpected places can support biodiversity.” 

Rachel Shore, project engagement coordinator at MASH, said: “The Station Sanctuary project engages women who are often marginalised, empowering them to connect together and collaborate creatively. “Together, we feel proud to be using our skills to transform an underused site in the station area into a thriving, nature-rich space that embodies the vibrant spirit of our city. Alongside the plants and flowers, we hope to grow awareness around the importance of inclusive, welcoming spaces for everyone in the community”.

A spokesperson for the women supported by MASH, said: “I feel that it’s important that we show we have skills and use them to make a safe place. From my homeless times around the station area, it’s a positive reflection that I can use my experiences for good.” 

Details on how the public can get involved in tending and enjoying this unique urban oasis will be shared on the project partners’ websites as the opening date approaches.