New dawn for failed £70m Altair as Trafford takes back control
The council plans to commission a fresh masterplan for the long-stalled Altrincham site following the collapse of developer Nikal, which had been attached to the project for almost 20 years.
Following a lack of progress at Altair, a £70m planned mixed-use development on a 4.5-acre site close to the town’s tram station, Trafford Council has completed a deal to retake control of the plot.
The transaction marks a reset for the scheme, one of the higher profile stalled projects in the region, which is viewed as a bizarre departure from Altrincham’s otherwise meteoric rise.
A spokesperson for Trafford Council said: “Trafford Council can confirm it has regained ownership of the Altair site in Altrincham.
“The site is of major strategic importance to the council and we will now be seeking to draw up a masterplan for its future development.”
The council reached an agreement that would see Nikal develop the site back in 2007. The initial vision for the site was for an Ian Simpson-designed project that included 100,000 sq ft of offices, a hotel, and 80,000 sq ft of retail and leisure.
These plans did not come to fruition due to the financial crash and in 2010 a revised scheme including the hospital won consent, and work was due to begin soon after. This did not materialise either.
The developer won consent for 59 apartments in the first phase in 2014. The second phase, approved in 2017, proposed a further 85 apartments and a Lidl food store.
However, neither of the schemes progressed and Nikal collapsed last year with liabilities in excess of £30m.
Get Renaker in!
By Ian S
Fresh masterplan …me thinks this will continue ad infinitum. Appoint an agent, create a competition, assess bids, choose scheme and get it built .We’ve been waitng nearly 20 years for this to be redeveloped and regenerated.
By Alty Ernative
There’s a definite market, best part of Manchester
By Anonymous
So much going right for Alti but then this massive whole right in the centre of it. It really drags the town down and is surely one of the biggest missed prime opportunities in GM.
I expect something significantly denser than previous proposals. Designed by anybody but SimpsonHaugh please.
I hope the Ice Rink and Manchester Storm stay but we’ll see what happens with the Trafford Park rink proposal.
By Anonymous
Ian S – I don’t think Trafford are ready for shifted pattern glazing
By Anonymous
They should include a new Travelodge in the scheme for when they inevitably demolish the Grafton tower.
By Anonymous
Crikey ….this has dragged on for decades. Trafford Council are shockingly incompetent.
By Rodders
How much money has been paid out so far in various fees for this ?
By Rod Kirkham
Will the masterplan include the ice rink replacement as this was supposed to be to be temporary and 40 odd years later will be shrouded by apartments with super insulated walls and windows for ice hockey match days, come on Trafford think of the picture and not the lining if your pockets!
By Anonymous
I was part of the Council project team goodness only knows how much officer time and cost has been spent on this site – Trafford had a development competition in the 90s which also failed so it’s 30 years and counting. A CPO Inquiry, acquisitions, new Masterplan to protect the failing town centre, an ice rink and a leisure centre that became design constraints. Great location but reckon something really simple is the only way to navigate economic and local political crosswinds.
By Dave
This site needs looking at with a fresh pair of eyes. I saw Altrincham FC were looking at a 10-year masterplan for their existing stadium, but surely a prime town centre location for Alty Fc’s stadium would be better with the transport link to the Metrolink also, a new multi-storey car park/park and ride for the tram support by an offering that would make the new football ground a non-match day destination for its regular 2,000+ fans. You could link this with residential yes, but ground floor amenity, co-working office space, and restaurants and bars to make it a truly mixed use site. What happens with the ice rink needs some thought, either incorporate it or let Trafford think of a new home. I suspect Trafford will team with up with the likes of Bruntwood but whatever they do it needs consultation with a broad section of the Altrincham community.
Whatever happens, let’s see someone built at long last…
By Fresh ideas
i have always thought this would be the obvious site to rehouse Altrincham FC. A community lead team it needs to grow and cant do this at its current ground. tHis would boost visitor numbers to the town centre benefitting the bars and restaurants, take the traffic away from the existing location which is fundamentally residential. Sale of the existing site, prime residential would release funds to underpin construction…win win?
By David