Lodges planned for Stretford hotel
Five years after plans to demolish Greatstone Hotel on Chester Road and replace it with apartments were rejected, fresh proposals have been submitted for the land to the rear of the buildings.
VSPG Housing has submitted an application to Trafford Council requesting permission to erect 12 standalone lodges to the rear of the property at 845 to 849 Chester Road in Stretford.
The Victorian villas on the site offer up 32 hotel rooms at present. They are owned by Landa Corporation, which acquired the site for £2m in 2023, according to Land Registry.
However, VSPG has cited “excessive requests by customers wanting larger self-contained accommodation”, according to planning documents.
The lodges would feature an open-plan kitchen/dining/snug area, one double bedroom, and one single bedroom, as well as bathroom facilities.
Elsewhere on the site, VS Child, a vehicle associated with VSPG, secured planning consent last year to convert the smaller of the two villas into a care home for up to three children. It currently comprises seven hotel bedrooms.
Back in 2020, then-owner Dowd & Company had expressed its desire to demolish the hotel and build 56 apartments, claiming the hotel had become unviable due in part to the rise of Airbnb.
Trafford Council rejected the plans and a subsequent appeal also failed.
The hotel has no people visiting Gorse Hill, at the moment it’s filled with boat people, can’t see visitors using the lodges .
By Anonymous
The hotel already houses too many homeless and the anti social behaviour has increased so much since this hotel and other residents have been set up in Gorsehill. Residents are scared going to the shops on there own as it is so to put in application for these lodges in and area that already houses over 30% of the homeless is unfair and should be shared out fairly through all the wards in Trafford.
By Gillian Haworth
I object to this plan
By Anonymous
Do it quick before there’s another ‘mysterious fire’™
By Anonymous
I strongly believe that this planning should also be rejected, the use of the greatstone hotel and the building next door have brought nothing but trouble to the community, the crime rate, including thefts, knife crime, anti social behavior has increased massively and this will only add to this.
No other area in trafford is housing as many homeless people as the gorse hill community.
By Rachel Meehan
I completely object to this plan
By Anonymous
I object to stupid plans, as we are already receiving stupid prizes, with the amount of issues we are having with the people you have in the “hotel”, I take it the owners, planners and councillors dont live here.
By None
These lodges will not be used as a hotel as the main hotel doesn’t have any guests in it now. This area is already over populated with homeless and others. People are afraid to go out which shouldn’t be. Shops are getting robbed. I object to these lodges going ahead. Maybe some of the councillors should come and live in the area to see for themselves the problem.
By Anonymous
What has Stretford become? So sad
By Anonymous
I wish to register my objection to the proposed plans.
Since the conversion of both the former hotel and the adjoining house into accommodation for “vulnerable” residents, there has been a marked and ongoing increase in antisocial behavior in the area. These issues have been compounded by the presence of the DJ Suites. The frequency of police attendance at the Great Stone Hotel is unprecedented; I have never witnessed such a high level of intervention within such a short period of time.
Additionally, there has been a significant rise in environmental nuisance. Littering—particularly the widespread disposal of nitrous oxide (laughing gas) canisters—has become common across Gorse Hill, negatively impacting the appearance and safety of the neighborhood.
Of particular concern is a serious safeguarding incident in which my children were filmed by an individual believed to be a resident of one of these properties. When I attempted to address the matter directly, the individual fled. This raises urgent questions about the safety and wellbeing of local families.
In light of the above, I believe the proposed development would further exacerbate existing problems, pose risks to public safety, and undermine the quality of life for local residents. I therefore urge the planning authority to reject these plans in the best interests of the community.
By Anonymous
Comments are now closed for this story. As a reminder, our comment section is not the place for formal objections to an application – those should be made on the application itself. If you have information you believe our news staff needs to know, please email [email protected].
By Julia Hatmaker