Connell to start on Stretford Mall demolition
Connell Bros will start a full demolition programme on Stretford Mall in the coming weeks, with works including improved access, a new entrance, brick-and-metal facades, and two green spaces fronting Chester Road.
The demolition contractor will begin work on the plans by the shopping centre’s owner, M&M Asset Management, which once complete will reduce the size of the mall by around 49,000 sq ft, from 346,000 sq ft.
A large portion of the mall will be demolished, and this area fronting Chester Road has been earmarked as a potential future development site. Once demolition completes, these areas will be grassed and surrounded with a knee-high fence.
The retained elements of the buildings will be re-clad and improved with a mixed brick and metal façade, with the main entrance providing direct access to the main square at the centre of the Mall and designed to give a more active frontage to Chester Road.
M&M said there would be no changes to current access arrangements within the retained mall building, while access to these units will not be impacted while works are ongoing.
O’Briens Pub, at the southern end of the mall, is being retained and will remain open throughout. The renovation works are due to complete by December 2019.
The move by M&M to cut space at the mall follows years of declining footfall, while a number of high-profile retailers have left the site in recent years. These include Wilko, Vodafone, B&M, and Argos.
As of last year, the mall had a vacancy rate of 48%, while footfall fell from 6.1m in 2008 to 3.7m in 2016. However, Stretford Mall has seen a handful of openings in the past three years, with JD Sports and PureGym both taking space.
The redevelopment of Stretford Mall secured planning approval last year, and has been designed by Pozzoni Architects.
You know an area is in decline when you can’t even hold on to a Wilko. Stretford needs a huge rethink about its future. The place is grim.
By Elephant
Stretford is declining , all the good shops have closed, there are no nice cafes where you can have a meal if you wanted, the only place is in the middle of the precinct which is a waste of space, Urmston is thriving with cafes and nice places to eat and drink, there is no supermarket now either as don’t even like Aldi, and it needs to focus on a good shopping place and not student accomodation which Stretford certainly doesn’t need. We need a proper shopping place and less useless buildings and structures.
By Red
The whole lot needs to come down and start from scratch again. Stretford deserves a new start and maintaining the square is not a new beginnning. Eden Square in Urmston has proved this to be the right way to do things…out with the old and in with the new
By Anonymous
Red: try the Blue Nile cafe on Talbot Rd, it’s wonderful…
By Robert Alatt
Agree with Anonymous. Eden Square Urmston is great. The problem with grubby facilities is they attract the lowest common denominator. The same thing happened to Prestwich with the dreadful Longfield centre ruining the village. Bury council after years of fleecing the people of Prestwich has finally started to put some money back and the village is now attracting nice bars and restaurants,plus small businesses. It has however been a long time coming. Stretford needs to start from scratch.
By Elephant
Free parking at the mall might have helped. And the traffic jams getting in and out cant have helped.
By Peter Flitcroft
Stretford Mall is great. It is clean, safe and is handy for Aldi too. A shame more people don’t shop there as it has a good selection of shops. Good for bargains.
By Kiara
This place is grim. The whole thing needs to come down & needs to be replaced with a lovely local high street. There’s no point trying to have clothing stores etc here withTrafford Centre round the corner. A mix of small brands & local businesses, cafes & restaurants would be great for the Stretford area, similar to Chorlton/Didsbury.
By DxH
It’s always been grim, It was grim when MacMarket changed to International in the 1970s, there have been a few decent shops over the years but the rents high and shopper numbers are low, there used to be a good fish shop and a few good butchers. Wish I had the answers to improve the place.
By James
Keeping O’Briens. Thought you wanted to improve the place.
By Ghetto street