Plans to transform Pomona Island, once called Manchester’s lost island, into a major residential and leisure hub have been submitted by Peel Waters, part of the Peel Group. The proposals include 2,600 new flats, a 35-storey tower, student accommodation, retail units, workspace, a hotel, and a fifteen-acre dockside park.
The plans are part of a long-term vision to revitalize the 25-acre site between Cornbrook and Salford Quays. Peel Waters has already delivered 500 homes on the island and says the new scheme will create a vibrant mixed-use community with modern housing, green spaces, and amenities. The developer is inviting residents and stakeholders to give feedback in a public consultation running until 9 October.
Pomona Island has a unique history. In the late 19th century, brothers William and Joseph Beardsley Cornbrook developed the Cornbrook Strawberry Gardens, later called Pomona Gardens. The riverside site featured flower beds, lawns, and walking areas within easy reach of the city centre. In 1875, the Royal Pomona Palace, a large concert hall with a 100ft clock tower, was built and hosted political rallies and cultural events, making the area a hub of social life.
The site later became home to Pomona docks, part of the Manchester Ship Canal network. These docks connected the city to global trade routes, handling cargo and passenger vessels from across the world. Pomona docks included five docks, while the larger Salford docks to the west had four. Dock 1, located within Manchester, was the longest and served commercial traffic, while Dock 5 was never fully completed. By the 1970s, containerisation and larger freight ships made the docks obsolete. Trade declined, and by 1982 the remaining docks were closed, leaving the area derelict.
After decades of disuse, Pomona Island has become a habitat for diverse wildlife and birds, with green spaces forming naturally around the old docks. The proposed redevelopment seeks to balance new housing with public access to open spaces and waterfront areas. A fifteen-acre dockside park is included in the plans to provide recreation, walking paths, and natural landscaping alongside the new buildings.
The new development will also bring retail and commercial opportunities, including convenience stores, leisure facilities, workspace, and a hotel. Peel Waters says this mix of uses will make Pomona Island a self-contained community, offering homes, jobs, and amenities in a modern urban environment. The architectural designs largely reflect earlier proposals from 2021, with high-rise towers and modern blocks shaping the skyline along the canal.
The redevelopment is part of a broader effort to regenerate the Salford Quays area, which was transformed from former docks into a commercial and residential district beginning in the mid-1980s. While Salford Quays has seen extensive redevelopment with offices, museums, and cultural venues, Pomona Island remained largely untouched, preserving its historical features but also becoming overgrown and underused.
The consultation period gives local residents, city planners, and stakeholders the opportunity to influence the project’s final design and ensure it complements the surrounding area. Peel Waters has stressed that public input is essential for creating a sustainable, community-focused development that respects both the site’s industrial heritage and its natural environment.
By combining housing, green space, and mixed-use buildings, the redevelopment aims to breathe new life into one of Manchester’s most underutilized waterfront areas. The project reflects a balance between preserving historical identity and meeting modern urban needs, offering a vision for Pomona Island as a thriving, accessible, and vibrant part of the city.
