Trafford to sign off refreshed Stretford masterplan

Trafford Council is set to approve an updated masterplan for Stretford, including a new university, student accommodation, and the potential compulsory purchase of the Essoldo cinema, following feedback from more than 1,500 consultation respondents.

The council started a consultation on its proposed masterplan in October last year, and has now brought forward a refreshed document following feedback from local residents.

Central to the masterplan is the UA92 development, a sports, media, and business-focussed university on the Kellogg’s site on Talbot Road and Brian Statham Way.

This will include student accommodation, teaching space, and a new leisure centre to replace the existing Streford Leisure Centre. The site will also include around 160,000 sq ft of office and university space, a 184-bed hotel, and 154 apartments.

The masterplan also includes three new sports pitches at Turn Moss which will sit alongside a proposed training ground for Salford City FC. A planning application for this site is expected to be submitted in early 2018.

The council said the final masterplan for UA92 would be completed by the middle of the year, after the proposals were broadly welcomed by respondents to the consultation.

Trafford has also earmarked a number of sites for redevelopment: Lacy Street; the Town Centre; and the Essoldo cinema.

The council had considered building a high-density student development on the site, but this has been scaled back following “strong opposition” from consultation respondents. The site will now be “re-examined” early this year to potentially bring forward a lower-rise and less dense scheme including affordable housing, student flats, and ground floor commercial.

The grade two-listed Essoldo building and its surroundings will also be considered for redevelopment. The Essoldo has been vacant since 1995 and will be retained, but the council plans to use CPO powers to acquired the building and neighbouring properties.

Neighbouring buildings will be redeveloped while the Essoldo will be refurbished and reused. Potential uses put forward by consultees include a cinema, music venue, or community space.

The council will look to appoint a partner to work up detailed proposals for the site this year.

Stretford Mall is another of the sites put forward for redevelopment. Planning permission has already been granted for the partial demolition of the mall, and the council aims to redevelop the areas around King Street and Arndale house to create “a more accessible and outward looking town centre”.

However, this is unlikely to be backed by public money and is subject to private investment.

The council again plans to use CPO powers around the Edge Lane area to bring forward more development around the mall, and said it would “continue to work closely” with operators M&M Asset Management to develop more specific proposals for the site.

Trafford Council is due to discuss the masterplan at a meeting on 31 January.

Your Comments

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So much potential in Stretford. Trafford has the best schools in the North, and house prices to match.

By JNW

more congestion

By Asim

Sadly with the deterioration of stretford arndale..ie shops shutting,major supermarket pulling out…its now loosing its community sadly…..

By y.b

The new sports centre will be at the back of the university and looks like a expensive looking building, as this will mostly be used by students education which will then be difficult for the residents to use ? The outside could be altered and the money saved then could be used to make a basic sports centre in the essoldo cinema for the people of Stretford??

By M.D.Pitts

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