Construction has started on the eco park project within Manchester Millennium Community’s 31-acre New Islington development.

The four-acre eco park will centre around a lake with two garden islands featuring an orchard, a pebble beach, a football pitch, an angling club and up to 50 narrow boat moorings as well as wildlife, picnic and play areas.

Landscape architects Grant Associates will link the islands in the reed bed-framed boating lake using boardwalks, decking and bridges.

A hotel, two restaurants and two bars are also planned.

The £200m New Islington site – one of seven developing Communities – is expected to take 15 years to complete under the leadership of developer Urban Splash, in partnership with the national regeneration agency English Partnerships, New East Manchester and the National Regeneration Agency.

New East Manchester chair Robert Hough said: “This imaginative use of open space has been designed to be fun, educational and community-focused.” Details: www.newislington.co.uk