Peel clinches deal for TraffordCity ice arena
A three-acre site next to Chill Factore and iFLY is to be redeveloped by ICITIES, providing another boost to the area’s growing leisure offer.
ICITIES’ TraffordCity ice arena – which will be operated by Planet Ice following the signing of a pre-let – will be constructed close to two other major leisure attractions due to come forward over the next couple of years – the £250m Therme wellbeing resort and Tartan Leisure’s inland surf park.
Planet Ice at TraffordCity will be the largest of the operator’s 15 UK venues. It will feature an ice rink that will also convert into a multi-use event space, as well as food and beverage outlets.
A planning application for the arena is currently being put together.
“This marks our first major project and our vision to develop best-in-class sports and leisure stadiums and arenas in the UK,” said Nick Payne, director of ICITIES.
“We already enjoy a strong partnership with Planet Ice, and ice skating will be the cornerstone of many of our projects like this one at TraffordCity.”
Payne, who is also a director at Tritax Symmetry, added: “This arena will be our showcase and we hope to attract other allied sports and entertainment operators to this project. Where we can, we would like to include facilities that educate and entertain children and the wider communities.”
Peel Water’s James Whittaker and ICITIES Nick Payne. Credit: via Peel Waters
The scheme aims to address what Payne describes as a “general lack of first-rate facilities for many event space operators”.
The deal is the latest manifestation of Peel Waters’ attempts to bolster the leisure offer at TraffordCity.
Taking into account existing and pipeline schemes, activities and sports available at the complex include skydiving, surfing, golf, ice skating, rock climbing, padel, and skiing.
James Whittaker, executive director at Peel Waters, added: “Planet Ice will be a huge success in TraffordCity and together with the existing and proposed diverse mix of offerings, we believe TraffordCity will be the UK’s best retail and leisure destination.”
“Alongside boosting the local and visitor economy and attracting investment into the area, we are committed to increasing jobs and opportunities for our local community. Through our long-term vision for TraffordCity, Peel has helped create 17,500 jobs within the destination to date with plans to increase this to 33,000 over the next 20 years.”
Planet Ice’s TraffordCity venue will take some pressure of its Altrincham site, which is often at capacity, according to Heath Rhodes, chief operating officer of Planet Ice.
“The venue will be very complementary to our existing facilities in the North West.
“We plan to provide a large seating capacity at the new venue for on and off ice entertainment. Furthermore, we plan to invest in our Altrincham site, so having this new facility close by will allow our customers full access to ice during any works we do at Oakfield Road.”
The estimated build time of the ice arena and event space will be approximately 12-15 months once the team starts on site.
Excellent, what a major attraction Trafford City will be for families
By DH
Look at that sea of grey parking. Do people really go here for fun?
By Anonymous
That will be the death of Altrincham ice rink then
By Tomo
How are they going to manage the traffic around this area. It gets gridlocked over Christmas period. With the opening of There and this and other leisure facilities it will only get worse.
By Anonymous
What is grey parking?
By Gilly
Therme should be renamed Pyramid, because that is how long it is taking to build it.
By Elephant
Fantastic. This area is going to be a world class leisure resort. We’re so lucky to have this in our region. My kids are super excited by Therme and the wave park, this will just add to the excitement.
By RM
Anonymous – the roads around here are already eight+ lanes wide. If that still isn’t enough then maybe it’s time to consider other methods of transport
By Anonymous
GillyDH.
An unsustainable open air car park.
Just imagine a multi-storey car park instead – and the surplus land uses better like, for example, housing.
By Rye&Eggs
That Altrincham site is prime real estate.
By Rich X
Tbf Tomo Alty Ice Rink has been a state for years, this is a better location and will be a much better facility.
By Gilly
Housing at the Trafford Centre? Ridiculous suggestion
By Gilly
I don’t think people spend all their time in the “grey car park”. I think most people go into the buildings to have their fun……
By ALL
I welcome the growth in Trafford City and the expansion of the leisure offering but I do think there needs to be a transport strategy for the area. The metro and road system will get choked particularly when United are home or test cricket is being played at Old Trafford. I suggest the strategy should look at the use of the the canal and the freight railway line for passenger transport, this would help alleviate the pressure on the roads and the metro.
By Anonymous
Extend the tram through to Irlam / Cadishead and it will take in Chill Factor, Ice Rink, AJ Bell, Barton, public transport for Irlam, less cars for the Trafford Centre roads
By Clouded Leopard
The area does need a strategic transport review as it grows, Trafford waters, Therme, surfing and now Ice rink. Still, brilliant to have all this on our doorstep. Personally I cycle up the Bridgwater canal from Worsley to get there rather than drive over the swing bridge but then I’m really fit and gorgeous.
By George
I agree Gilly. Fond memories of Alty ice rink but a new rink more accessible is what’s needed
By Tomo
@January 10, 2024 at 11:36 am
By Gilly
Disagree. A lot of shopping attractions like this have residential as well.
Let’s use land carefully on this fairly densely populated area.
By Rye&Eggs
I’m assuming – although I’m yet to see any news – that Manchester Storm will relocate? Well behind teams like Sheffield, Nottingham and Cardiff in terms of gameday experience due to the state of Alty.
By Matt
If it’s to be on the site of the former soccer dome and DW gym, then that car park already generated a lot of trips too. Hopefully more bus routes will call down there, and the metrolink completed to Port Salford. Get your skates on.
By Gum
Yes Matt, the Storm don’t have a proper arena to play in, Manchester needs a mid-sized arena cap 10,000 or thereabouts.
By Gilly
I agree Manchester does need a medium size arena for the likes of the Storm, Giants basketball and Thunder netball teams but I was thinking more like 5,000 capacity.
By Anonymous
While I like to see investment and development in the area we desperatley need better public transport.
The motorway is rammed everyday and shetland can backup all the way into Urmston/Flixton.
Expand the metrolink and bus services for the M41 postcode.
By Stephen
When altrincham is being renovated will storm play at Trafford and then go back. Can’t see it working if you’re going to have 5/10 thousand fans accessing it at any one time plus busy traffic going to Trafford centre and coming home from work. It’s chaos there on a normal day. What’s it gonna be like on a match day. Just make altrincham better. It was too big an arena when they played at the AO arena back in the day. Gonna lose its atmosphere if it moves to a 10 thousand seat arena.
By Anonymous
Can you build a new overhead road for all the extra traffic as well
By Christine Hartley
The storm will get a higher attendance here than in Altrincham and the Trafford centre is a nicer place to spend a day with the kids before the game
By Dan