Peel and Trafford head to appeal over £5.4m road dispute
The council rejected plans for a 167,000 sq ft industrial scheme on a 26-acre former landfill site in Carrington because of a disagreement with the developer about how much the latter should contribute towards the construction of the £76m Carrington Relief Road.
Trafford claims the amount offered by Peel NRE to support infrastructure projects in the New Carrington allocation – earmarked in the Greater Manchester joint plan for 3.7m sq ft of industrial space and 5,000 homes – was not sufficient.
In order to fund the delivery of the Carrington Relief Road and unlock land for redevelopment, Trafford uses a formula to calculate how much developers need to contribute.
The formula seeks £346.80 per square metre of gross floorspace for employment schemes such as the one proposed by Peel.
Therefore, the amount Trafford sought from the developer for its planned 167,000 sq ft scheme was in excess of £5m.
Failure to provide that amount “would prejudice the delivery of future infrastructure provision in New Carrington”, according to the council.
Peel said that a contribution at the level the council is asking for would render the project unviable.
In addition, the developer claims the council moved the goalposts. The aforementioned formula was adopted in early 2024, almost two years after the original application was submitted.
A spokesperson for Peel NRE said: “We are disappointed by the council’s decision to refuse our application for this brownfield site, which is identified for development in Places for Everyone.
“We believe our plans would bring much-needed economic investment and job creation to the area. We remain committed to working towards a positive outcome through the appeal process, ensuring the site can be brought into productive use.”
Trafford Council will have to defend its decision to refuse the project at an inquiry, due to be held at the beginning of May.
A spokesperson for Trafford Council said: “We are fully engaged with the appeal and we are working towards the deadlines imposed by the Planning Inspectorate ahead of the public inquiry in May.”
The site, which is close to Junction 7 of the M60, has been vacant since the 1990s.
Around 10 acres of the plot would be redeveloped into storage and distribution floorspace. The remaining 16 acres would be retained as green space.
Stantec is advising Peel NRE on the scheme.
Sounds like a similar issue to putting planning applications to sleep while the TDC was sorted out and goalposts moved. Applications should be subject to policy or guidance at the time they are made.
By Anonymous
Awful lot of money for a road.
By Vixenda
What about relief roads around the Trafford centre and the M60 motorway instead of all the pollution and traffic conditions??
By Annon
Are Wain estates contributing ? if Peel refuse let Trafford build road but then refuse planning for the industrial schemes
By Anonymous
The road should not even be entertained and building on Carrington Moss should not be allowed. This Government are being totally irresponsible with the amount of building they are allowing and where they are allowing it to take place.
By Anonymous
Who iOS going to pay for this , we are paying more for our c tax , again this year & the roads are a disgrace , get your priorities right TBC
By L eean
Pay for the infrastructure Peel NRE, you def have the money
By Anonymous
Let’s face the project wouldn’t be viable because someone won’t make £100’s k in profit.
Any project that gives local people sustainable employment is worth it. even if they only make a profit a few pounds above cost the money spent by the employed people during and after the project makes it worth while.
But people are greedy long term spending smaller up front profit makes a project viable.
By Anonymous
Trafford Council again.. why are they determined to ruin the area.. they leave me speechless. The wildlife should be cherished. They won’t stop until everywhere is built on. Once the wildlife is gone it’s gone forever. Not to mention the mess they are making everywhere else. Stretford is a laughing stock with the sun loungers at tax payers expense. Flixton is now a no go area due to traffic lights and traffic calming.. I have never felt so annoyed and let down by a council as much as the current one
By Debra Ikin
At the figure reported wouldn’t the Council be substantially over recovering the £76m cost of the road just on the industrial space multiplier (excluding the housing). £76m for the link road also sounds like a substantial increase to the £30m suggested less than 5 years ago! Perhaps its for a pothole fund across Trafford.
By Confused Trafford
Firstly its not £76 Million now from what I was told at the Amey consultation at the fuse in Partington recently more like £130 million and that will probably increase aswell, I know if this gets the green light alongside the upgrade of the Warburton toll bridge this will encourage more traffic to use Partington as a “rat run” bringing more pollution. Congestion to roads that are in disgraceful condition. I have asked for several years now why cant we re-open our disused railway link between Glaze brook & Timperley stations. This would truly give us all connections to the surrounding transport links and infrastructure also as promised by government now the HS2 has been cancelled I believe we fit all the criteria for that funding this would be true leveling up. The relief road looks outstanding on the video but in real terms does nothing positive for Partington. All our facilities are bursting at the seams but I don’t see any promises of new infrastructure to match this proposal.
By Wayne Edwards
@Wayne Edwards. The Glazebrook Timperley link is such an obvious infrastructure route and could be a road/tram route creating much better connectivity across the MSC as well or they could CPO and upgrade the road between Timperley and Partington and make it less daunting and dangerous. Partington deserves better links.
By Confused Trafford
The latest figures for the road is £128 million i was told… the longer it goes on the higher it gets. Better still. Just cancel the road.
By ANGRY