Approval for Sale town centre overhaul

Maloneview’s proposals for the £67m redevelopment of Sale’s The Square shopping centre, including a cinema, leisure space, a multi-storey car park, and 202 homes have been given the go-ahead in line with officer recommendation.

Mark Rebbeck, commercial director at Maloneview, said he was “delighted” with the decision. He added: “Residents and the business community of Sale have also got behind the town centre regeneration, which will revitalise Sale town centre.”

“Our plans will help transform the town centre and provide local residents with retail and leisure facilities that will not only support the community but also help make Sale a destination for people outside of the area to visit, shop and socialise with friends and family.” The proposals received more than 200 letters of support.

The developer and owner of the shopping centre first showcased its plans for the site in November 2017. These include a partial demolition of the existing shopping centre, and replacing it with a six-screen cinema, up to 37,000 sq ft of retail and leisure over nine units; three of these will be in the cinema building, and six more will be within a new retail terrace. SimpsonHaugh is the architect.

The 202 homes will be split across two blocks of 15 and 12 storeys, along with 18 townhouses along the site’s Sibson Road frontage. Around 10% of the homes are to be provided on a shared ownership basis, with Trafford Housing Trust in discussions to manage these.

The 104,000 sq ft car park will include 337 spaces.

New areas of public space are proposed to provide a route between Town Square and Sibson Road, while the cinema will also benefit from additional public realm. Some of the units in The Square, including WH Smith and Wilkinsons will be retained and enhanced with new facades.

Under the proposals the existing Friars Road will be closed and built over, while vehicular access into the site would be provided via a new access point from Sibson Road, to the east of Dominion House, an office currently home to the Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors. A new taxi rank along Sibson Road is also proposed, with the existing rank on Hereford Street relocated.

At committee, a proposal to defer the scheme failed to achieve enough support, and the project was given a ‘minded to approve’ verdict, subject to the completion of legal agreements.

A planning condition added by officers was that either SimpsonHaugh be retained as architect throughout the construction period; or that Maloneview provides a commuted sum to allow the council to choose its own choice of delivery architect. That has now been amended, so that in the event of a commuted sum being paid, the delivery architect would be jointly chosen by the council and developer.

With the planning hurdle now cleared, Place North West understands talks with funders and contractors are ongoing, with UK Land & Property one of the parties in discussions with Maloneview over backing the scheme.

Sale Square

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Good news for Sale. Much needed

By Brooklands resi

This comment is aimed towards all parties involved. Public and private.

The are certainly needs updating.
However, you state “Around 10% of the homes are to be provided on a shared ownership basis…”
What does “around” mean? Less than or more than? Do you have an exact figure? How many properties of the 210 proposed?

I see that the NPPF states that “at least 10%” go to affordable ownership of new developments like these. Quite telling that Trafford council are somewhat “enforcing” the bare minimum when much more should be done.

What about social rent schemes and affordable rental schemes too?
Many cannot afford, nor want the burden of owning a property, even if it is shared.

By Trafford resident

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