Plans progress for Hough End revamp
Manchester City Council’s refurbishment of facilities at the Princess Road playing fields have been filed for planning permission.
The project involves the erection of a two-storey extension to Hough End Leisure Centre to include sports field changing facilities, a café, flexible social rooms and gym space, following the demolition of the existing changing pavilion building.
Also included in the 15-acre scheme are the introduction of two 3G pitches and associated lighting and fencing, along with a 67-space car park and 100-space overflow car park.
ISG has submitted the plans on behalf of Manchester City Council, while the scheme’s architect is Ellis Williams.
The majority of the Hough End Sports Village site is taken up by playing fields, with the eastern edge adjacent to Princess Road seeing the introduction of the leisure centre and improved parking for the playing fields in 2015. The leisure centre is operated by Greenwich Leisure Services for the city council.
At present, the phasing plan is that the pitches will be completed before the building. They will be serviced until that point by the six temporary changing cabins at Broughton Park Rugby Club, which support the existing football pitches, until the new facilities are completed.
In March, Greater Manchester Combined Authority secured £78m to retrofit existing public sector buildings as part of the Government’s decarbonisation plan. MCC secured £19m of that, with Hough End one of 11 locations in line to benefit.
Would rather they improved the absolutely atrocious shared cycling route than added more parking !
By marie
Yes!! Children need football pitches to be able to play football locally.
By El
This has always been free open green space for locals to train on, play on,or exercise dogs why should we lose our green space again should be voted on by locals
By Paula Gilson
Will local residents who don’t do football be able to walk round the fields I wonder.
By Wendy
This area is protected by a covenant set up by Lord Egerton of Tatton which says it should never be built on except in times of war.
It has already been encroached on by various buildings over the years and now to take even more of the public space is outrageous.
This field is used by runners, dog walkers and anyone who wishes to enjoy this green space.
There are already many football pitches which by the way are full of litter following the weekend use. This is mainly remnants of refreshments, empty plastic water bottles etc. We don’t need any more.
By Janice
Absolutely disgusting ‘development’ and one that I will be staunchly opposing. This land was bequeathed to the people for them to enjoy for free in perpetuity.
By John
I oppose the plans. The fields are already in use by a variety of different local groups (I.e. no requirement to drive to the sight and park) such as dog walkers, runners, PT instructors, all free at the point of use. This sight is used every day of the year. I have even seen musicians practicing here. What part of building 100 car parking spaces in online with MCC climate emergency Declaration? I also expect that the whole site will be shut down when we go into the next winter lock down meaning no one will have access to the space.
By Dominic Wright
I’m in agreement with this. Contrary to a previous comment there are not a multitude of football / rugby pitches available for grassroots teams in the community. If you look on the City Council website dogs are currently banned so shouldn’t be walked there. The clue is in the name: it’s Houghton End PLAYING FIELDS not a park. It is not being sold and is to be used in exactly the way it currently is intended for pitches to play organised games on, just with better facilities and more available parking. I think some folks are complaining for the sake of it.
By Ian Burton
I could understand improvement of football facilities but proposing to create a large car park in a location served well by bus, tram etc is backwards thinking in the extreme. We have to stop thinking in terms of increased driving – if usage is to increase, make public transport better and cheaper, people won’t change their behaviour until we make it preferable to do so. Not to mention the loss of local greenspace and increase in local pollution.
By Stuart Fraser
Out with the old. in with the new.
I hope the council also approves a shopping center.
By Anonymous