Manchester residents restore community garden after council error

Residents of Levenshulme in Manchester and Manchester City Council are working together to rebuild a community alleyway garden that contractors destroyed by mistake in August.

The garden, located behind homes between Stanhope Street, Gordon Avenue, and Delamere Road, had been a community project for five years. Locals had previously planted fruit trees, wildflowers, and a clematis grapevine to create a space for summer parties and barbecues.

Contractors from Redgate, who hold a passageway-cleansing contract for the council, removed the greenery after receiving a report about overgrown vegetation in the area. Both the council and the contractors admitted the mistake and pledged to fund the restoration of the space. Nancy Bennett and other neighbors say the destruction initially devastated the community but ultimately brought people closer together. The project has now gained new volunteers who want to help the garden grow again.

The restoration includes a new access path running down the middle of the alleyway, which Rachel Powild says makes the area more accessible for people with disabilities than the previous wilder layout. The council and Redgate are currently helping to fix the space. Residents like Maeve Cowan say they expect to see the garden in full bloom again by spring. Councillor Basat Sheikh said the commitment of the Levenshulme residents to restore the garden to its former glory is encouraging.