Manchester City Council has confirmed that its long-running Town Hall restoration will require an additional £95 million, pushing the total cost of the “Our Town Hall” project to £524.8 million and extending construction work into 2028.
The updated budget and timeline were released on 28 November 2025 in an official council report outlining the challenges slowing progress on the Grade I-listed landmark’s refurbishment. The project, initially expected to finish in 2024, was later rescheduled to 2027 before this latest revision added a further delay.
According to the council, cost pressures reflect extensive heritage conservation requirements, inflation across the construction sector, and complex remediation work discovered during the restoration of the 19th-century building. The report warns that the project cannot be completed within the previous budget without compromising statutory heritage obligations.
The council said major structural and mechanical upgrades remain underway as the project enters its final phase, including renewed public spaces, accessibility improvements, and restoration of historically significant interiors.
A revised delivery plan will go before the council’s scrutiny and executive committees in December, where members will consider the increased funding request. The authority maintains that investment remains essential to preserve one of the UK’s most important civic buildings and ensure it remains operational for future generations.
The council plans to restore public access in stages as interior work nears completion, but it now expects the full reopening to slip to late 2028.
In another significant development for the region, the long-delayed Therme Manchester scheme in Trafford City moved forward this September after developers appointed Sir Robert McAlpine as construction manager. The £450 million project — set to become the UK’s first large-scale urban wellbeing resort — has now entered a new delivery phase, signalling renewed momentum for one of Greater Manchester’s most high-profile leisure developments.
Factsheet: Manchester Town Hall Restoration (Our Town Hall Project)
Latest announcement
Date: 28 November 2025
Source: Manchester City Council official update
Updated project cost
New total: £524.8 million
Additional funding required: £95 million
Timeline
Original completion: 2024
Revised to: 2027
Latest estimate: 2028
Key drivers of rising cost
Heritage conservation complexities
Construction inflation
Unforeseen structural and systems remediation
Specialist restoration needs
Project scope
Full restoration of the Grade I-listed Town Hall
Mechanical, electrical, and structural upgrades
Conservation of historic interiors
Public space and accessibility improvements
Status
Work ongoing; council committees reviewing revised budget in December 2025
