My Place | Sale
I’ve lived in Sale for 15 years, during which time there hasn’t been a great deal of change – certainly no visible signs of any significant investment, writes Paul Smith of Strategic Land Group.
Shops have come and go – as has been the case in most high streets – although Sale has seen a recent, very welcome surge of independents opening along Northenden Road.
It would be fair to say that Sale has seen very little in the way of genuine transformation for more than a decade, although new plans currently in the pipeline, with Planit-IE working with the Council on much-needed public realm improvements, will have a hugely positive impact. Maloneview has also recently secured planning permission for a long overdue overhaul of the outdated shopping centre.
However, while the works on public realm and the revitalisation of the shopping centre are welcome improvements to the town, which is undoubtedly in need of investment, there’s more that could be done.
The A56/Washway Road would be a good place to start. The road is the main arterial route through Sale, but looks dire – flanked predominantly by scruffy, under-used buildings with lots of crumbling tarmac. It certainly doesn’t give the right first impression! The difficulties in crossing also acts to sever the Ashton-on-Mersey side of Sale from the main town centre. There is significant scope to improve the road – and surrounding route- dramatically, with more green planting, segregated cycle routes and improved crossing facilities.
Permitting higher buildings with residential development above on either side of the road could help to fund the improvements, while delivering increased footfall to support a thriving town centre.
In particular, the introduction of dedicated cycle routes would make a huge difference – on either side of the A56, quiet roads are well-suited for cycling, connecting to the towpath along the Bridgewater Canal, which will take you into the city centre in around half an hour.
The towpath also connects into other attractive, useful cycle routes, taking you along the Mersey Valley to Chorlton in one direction, and out into the Cheshire plain around Dunham and Lymm in the other. With better links, segregated routes and improvements to the A56, Sale could be Greater Manchester’s most cycling-friendly town.
Sale is a great place to live and it’s fantastic to see improvements taking place, however if the town is to truly achieve its potential, it needs a focused, long-term plan of action and the will to make it happen.
I have lived in sale for 60 years and I think it has gone down hill. I rarely go into sale school road now as I am sick and tired of the begging, and people sleeping on the floor and robbing that goes on.
By Jan fa
Hear hear. Let’s hope Trafford Council have the wherewithal to submit a bid for Bee Network funding (assuming the Government provide more money to that pot). The key is also to actually spend that money.
By Active Travel Trev
Always been an awful place. No soul, atmosphere or identity. It’s just a drive through and avoid town. Truly awful.
By Chris
We have lived in Sale for forty years and seen a great deal of change. We miss the market and food hall. We also need traffic lights yo enable cars to exit right when coming from Sainsburys. You can wait ages to turn right as nobody will give way to allow you out.
By Judith Feeney
Such positivity! There’s a lot of positive stuff going on in Sale and having lived here for 8 years it’s only improving. And keep up Active Travel Trev – not only have Trafford submitted a bid but it’s been accepted and announced. One of the biggest developments of its kind in GM
By Salient
Born here, but would not contemplate being in town centre after 9pm? After growing up here! Shame.
.
By Anonymous
I was born in Ashton on Mersey 88 years ago and them moved to Sale. From memory, School Road was tree-lined with a variety of privately owned shops, Chorltons pork butchers at the Washway Rd. end sold sausages to due for. Midway there was a recessed area with a small chapel called The Beehive. Happy memories – I’ve been back in AoM for 60 years , wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.
By GHAY
The roads in genral are poor ,and along with pavements.Caused by people parking on the pavements. Which make them dangerous to walk .
The high street generally is dying ,thought into alternative uses of shops ,ie convert to air.BandB.
Make sale a place to come to to entertain you either ,Theatre ,good restaurants ,Bars Cinamea.
Plant more trees and look after our parks and gardens better .Stop begging .as it brings down the town..
By David randall
Sale has great schools, great transport links and a wide variety of housing stock but the town centre needs some TLC. The biggest and best leisure unit in Sale Waterside has been empty for years now. Owned by the council I think. i can only assume a combination of high rent and rates is stopping new occupation. Council needs to be much more pro active to improve the whole centre. And good luck to Maloneview with their plans. Long overdue
By Brooklands resi