Palaces, parties and high-rise property: The story of Manchester’s forgotten island

'I got the tram and I was like, what is this stop called Pomona?'

Dear Millers — today’s members’ story is a fascinating long read about Pomona Island, the stretch of scraggly land you can see from the tram just north of Trafford Bar Metrolink stop. To some people, it’s an ugly wasteland that needs to be put to good use in an expanding city that needs more homes. For others, including some of those quoted in our story, its redevelopment is a blow to the city’s hopes of nurturing green and wild spaces. In his first piece for The Mill, Robert Firth takes an in-depth look at the area’s past and future.

This morning, we got a lovely mention on Twitter from our local church, St Ann’s, remembering that the area we’ve based ourselves in used to be one of the city’s journalistic hubs.