Peel Holdings have revived plans to expand the food and beverage offer at their 300K SF Lowry Outlet Mall, Salford — only this time it will involve biophilic dining.

Dubbed The Watergardens and designed by architect Chapman Taylor, the new dining offer will add to the current modest restaurant selection led by Bella Italia and Nandos.

The development, focused on the waterfront unit vacated by Marks & Spencer, will be created on 'biophilic design principles [to] strengthen the connection between nature and natural elements and the man-made environment,' Manchester Confidential reports.

Biophilic literally means loving (philia) life (bio) but as a concept it dates from the green idealism of the 1980s.

The biophilia hypothesis, developed by Edward O. Wilson, suggests that  humans possess an innate tendency to seek connections with nature and other forms of life, which is either a stunning revelation or idiot-level obvious, depending on your point of view.

In practice, biophilic design claims to improve the sense of well-being and dwell time and seems to involve a lot of plants.

Lowry Outlets, which manages the mall, is part of the Peel Group. The Lowry rethink is part of plans to bring the centre — now nearing the end of its second decade — up to the latest standards, and inject some of the dash and brio normally found in larger centres. Additional food and beverage will help improve dwell times — and the long-ignored river frontage provides a more attractive backdrop.