A significant advancement has been made in the development of a massive water park featuring numerous slides. Sir Robert McAlpine has been appointed as the construction manager for the highly anticipated £450 million Therme Manchester wellbeing resort at TraffordCity, which will become the largest thermal pool complex in Europe upon completion.
Through various planning stages, the resort’s design has evolved from a single structure with an expansive undulating glass roof to interconnected roofed pavilions. Once operational, the resort will offer 30 water slides, the largest sauna area in the UK, multiple steam rooms, botanical gardens, immersive art displays, and a family-friendly wave pool.
Situated at the heart of TraffordCity, the resort will be accessible to swimmers via the Bee Network, Metrolink, and new canal-side walking and cycling routes. A multi-storey car park is also in the plans for drivers.
The appointment of the construction manager aims to avoid further delays in the opening of Therme. Originally scheduled for a 2025 opening, the launch has been postponed to 2028, with the project cost escalating from an initial estimate of £250 million to a staggering £400 million.
Following a period of apparent slowdown after activity in October last year, project management provided an update on the construction progress, indicating that the “first major construction phase” is set to commence later in the year.
The official groundbreaking occurred when a massive 200-meter borehole was drilled into the TraffordCity site in October to utilize its natural thermal capacity, a vital element for the resort’s energy efficiency.
In February, Professor David Russell, Therme UK’s CEO, attributed the cost increase to outdated design and construction expenses. He highlighted the incorporation of additional public spaces, sustainability initiatives, an inner wellbeing garden, an energy center focused on air-sourced heat pump energy, and an integrated water retention system in the revised design.
Therme Group currently operates sites across Europe, including Therme Bucharest, the world’s first LEED Platinum-certified wellness facility, and Therme Erding, the largest wellbeing venue globally. With over 3.5 million annual visitors, the upcoming Therme Manchester is anticipated to bring a substantial tourism boost to the region.