A new £250m wellbeing resort is coming to Manchester

Plans have been approved this week to build the UK’s first city-based wellbeing resort in Manchester.

With an estimated cost of around £250m, Therme Manchester, which is due to open in 2023, will combine hundreds of water-based activities with wellbeing treatments, art, nature and technology.  

At 28-acres, the size of 19 football pitches, the new resort will be opposite intu Trafford Centre next to Barton Square, with a Metrolink station directly outside.

EventCity, which currently occupies part of the site, will be relocated and redeveloped as a state-of-the-art events venue in TraffordCity.

At the heart of the project will be a two-acre wellbeing garden in the shape of a rose. The bio-diverse garden for all seasons will be an evolving work of art, say the team behind Therme, with petal-shaped terraces, pools and water features.

There will be a family zone with waterslides, a wave pool, indoor and outdoor pools, steam rooms, exotic palm tree relaxation areas. 

A section for adults will feature warm-water lagoons, botanical gardens, swim-up bars, therapeutic mineral baths, steam rooms and saunas.

There will be daily water-based fitness classes as well as spaces around the gardens for yoga and pilates.

Thousands of trees and plants will create a bio-diverse environment, while a range of cafes, bars and restaurants will include plenty of healthy options. 

Stelian Iacob, CEO of Therme Group UK, says the new resort, which is forecast to attract up to two million visitors per year, will “transform life for city residents and people further afield, creating a fun and accessible experience with profound health and wellbeing benefits for all.”

“We are delighted that this Therme Group development, the first of its kind in the UK, is coming to Trafford,” said Andrew Western from Trafford Council.

“It is a huge scheme which will be a fantastic addition to the area and supports several of the Council’s priorities including health and wellbeing. It will bring thousands of jobs to the borough and millions of visitors each year, who will benefit our local economy on a massive scale.”

Therme Manchester is scheduled to open in 2023.