Thermal wellbeing organisation and developer Therme Group has unveiled its updated plans for Therme Manchester, the UK’s first city-based wellbeing resort at TraffordCity in Manchester, UK.

Therme Group is working in partnership with Peel L&P to deliver the project, at a cost of over £250m (US$328.5m, €299.3m).

In addition to a waterpark, thermal bathing and a wellbeing spa, plans include immersive digital art, an on-site urban farm and botanical gardens.

This combination of features is designed to create an integrated experience to benefit physical and mental health.

New details
The updated plans involve a greater integration of biophilic design elements, including double-curved roofs, which reduce the amount of steel required, increasing the sustainability of the development.

The new design also includes a green ‘vertical forest’ multi-storey car park to remove the need for under-venue parking and reduce the amount of excavation needed thereby simplifying the build process and lowering environmental impact.

New guest attractions include an all-season urban beach and the living waterslides – claimed to be the first in the world – incorporating a 3D-printed superstructure housing thousands of plants.

A snow room, multi-sensory showers and oxygen rooms will also be on offer, as well as a visitor and education centre for events on sustainability, food and nature.

Biodiversity will be central to Therme Manchester via a 10,000sq m wellbeing garden, hydroponic vertical farm, more than 1,500 trees and roof-top beehives which will produce honey for use in restaurants and wellbeing treatments.

Therme Group is aiming to submit a revised planning application in the summer.

Construction of the development is scheduled to begin in 2023, with a build time of around two years.

Stelian Iacob, senior VP of Therme Group and CEO of Therme Group UK, said: “The Covid period allowed us to update the design of Therme Manchester to create an even more sustainable, engaging and accessible experience with profound health and wellbeing benefits for all.

“We’ll continue to work with the Manchester community as we progress with the design and development.”

Global expansion plans
Therme Manchester will be Therme Group's first wellbeing destination in the UK.

The second is planned for Glasgow, Scotland, on a site adjacent to the Riverside Museum at the intersection of the Kelvin and Clyde rivers.

Other UK developments are planned for London and Wales.

Therme Group is also expanding its city-based wellbeing resort concept globally with a rollout programme, with active projects already under development in Toronto and Frankfurt.

The group has also identified targets to create five major wellbeing resorts across major cities in North America.