Trafford advances Sale magistrates court redevelopment
The prominent site in Sale town centre is to be developed for housing or a mixed-use scheme with a medical centre with a preferred bidder set to be chosen by November this year.
Trafford bought the site on Washway Road last summer for an undisclosed sum and has already demolished the vacant court; this was left empty in 2016 after it was one of the sites closed as part of a Government cost-cutting initiative.
The council’s preference is to appoint a delivery partner or joint venture partner to bring forward the site for either an entirely residential scheme, or a residential-led mixed-use project also featuring a medical centre.
Prospective developers for the site were invited to put forward initial expressions of interest, with this window closing in early July. Once these are evaluated, bidders will then be asked to tender for the scheme; bids will close in early September with a preferred partner to be chosen in November.
The building was transferred to Homes England, formerly the Homes & Communities Agency, at a value of £3.25m in October 2016; Homes England had previously looked to demolish the building, going as far as to issue a demolition notice in September 2017, but this was never progressed.
The overhaul of the magistrates’ court site is the latest development to come forward in Sale town centre after developer Maloneview submitted a planning application to build 202 homes, 30,000 sq ft of retail and leisure, and a six-screen cinema. This proposed project will replace a large portion of the existing shopping centre, The Square.
Sounds great, however 202 homes will have children. Exactly where are we going to fit them. The schools are heavily over subscribed. The parking is already notoriously bad. What measure is being taken to accomdate all the vehicles. Its great we may have a new medical centre?but again all NHS dentists oversubscribed. Has this been considered. Will any green areas be made available for all the new flats and houses to compensate for the poor air quality from several hundred more cars.
By Joanne Waldron
I think the site should have been used for a Cinema or Bowling alley or similar. It woud have been perfect, as there’s plenty of parking.
By Paul Turner,
Hi this area should have been used to make a water centre, we have bowling alleys, we have cinemas, Trafford does not have a decent water centre, a swimming bath ,yes just a swimming bath, antiquated one at that. Look after our children’s healthy activities, come on Trafford, houses, but the roads are busy enough.
By Michelle rothwell
All sounds great but with less and less green space Sale is becoming overcrowded. Once the kids leave school we’ll be downsizing to Wythenshawe with acres of parkland, tree lined streets and one thing you never see it trafford grass verges!
By John Hird