Plans to build a ‘calm and peaceful’ memorial to the 22 victims of the Manchester Arena bombing have been unanimously approved.
The Glade of Light will be a living memorial with a white stone ring ‘halo’ at its heart bearing the names of those who lost their lives on May 22, 2017.
Construction of the centrepiece, which will include personalised memory capsules for friends and family to share mementos of their loved ones, will begin in March.
The stone halo could be built in time for the next anniversary of the Arena attack in May, while construction of the rest of the memorial is expected to be completed in November.
This will include a tranquil garden made of plants and flowers that grow naturally in the British countryside which will be changed with the passing seasons.
Manchester council leader Sir Richard Leese, speaking after planning permission was granted on Thursday, said: "This memorial at the heart of our city promises to be a beautiful tribute to those whose lives were so cruelly cut short on May 22, 2017.
“Their memories will endure and Manchester will never forget them.
“The Glade of Light will become part of the fabric of our city, a calm and peaceful place which will blend seamlessly with the regeneration of the wider Medieval Quarter in which it sits.”
Survivors of the terror attack, and the families of those who died, helped with the memorial’s design, which was changed to make sure it was wheelchair accessible.
The memorial will form a part of a wider transformation of the area between Manchester Cathedral and Chetham’s School of Music on Fennel Street and Victoria Street.
Joanne Roney, chief executive of Manchester council, said: “Reaching this point has involved a long and meticulous journey.
“We made a solemn commitment to honour the 22 people who were killed in that heinous attack and it was important that we took great care to deliver something moving and appropriate.”
A new public square is planned outside the entrance to the Manchester Cathedral to provide opportunities for civic and ceremonial events.
Chetham’s, which had raised concerns around security and crime in the Cathedral Gardens area, withdrew their objections before the planning committee met this week.
