Trafford launches consultation on Davenport Green
Trafford Council is giving residents and interested parties chance to comment on controversial proposals to bring a major employment site owned by Royal London Asset Management back into green belt.
The proposals were examined as part of the local authority's new core planning strategy at a public inquiry in May.
Trafford Council said the Planning Inspector's examination into the core strategy began in February and a decision was recently taken to postpone the Trafford core strategy examination hearing sessions scheduled for July 2011.
The local authority said this will mean the consultation feedback can be considered by the Inspector when the hearing resumes at the end of September.
The council said the main change being proposed relates to around 89 of the 336 acres at Davenport Green, which is currently outside of the green belt.
Originally, the local authority wanted to protect the greenfield site and push development to other parts of the borough including Trafford Park industrial estate, Carrington and land along the Manchester Ship Canal.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Trafford Council said: "The proposal is that this land should remain outside of the green belt, as it has for over 15 years, but be protected as countryside with strict criteria to control the nature and extent of development which may be permitted, and the circumstances in which such development could come forward.
"This is an amendment to the originally submitted version of the core strategy, which proposed that this piece of land should be put into the green belt. This decision was taken following the Government's recent announcement of the nearby Airport City Enterprise Zone, and the emerging proposals relating to a possible MediPark at the University Hospital South Manchester [in Wythenshawe]. Whilst the executive has agreed that the site should continue to remain outside of the green belt until the future need for this site is clarified, it does not support the site's inclusion in the Enterprise Zone in order to maintain its control over any development in accordance with the strict criteria."
Last month, Royal London welcomed the news that the council's executive recognised the opportunity at Davenport Green, brought about by the Enterprise Zone and possible MediPark at University Hospital South Manchester. Royal London is being advised by Carter Jonas.
The consultation will run from Friday 22 July until noon on Monday 5 September 2011. During this period, the council said copies of the documentation will be available for public inspection at all libraries and Access Trafford offices across the borough. The documentation will also be available from the start of the consultation on the Trafford Council website here
The council said short written representations should ideally be submitted by email to programme.officer@ntlworld.com
Hard copies are to be sent to Yvonne Parker, the programme officer, c/o Strategic Planning and Developments, Trafford Council, First Floor, Waterside House, Sale Waterside, Sale, M33 7ZF.
Trafford Council said the core strategy examination in public hearing sessions will resume on 28 September 2011 at 10am at Quay West on Trafford Wharf Road in Trafford Park, Manchester.
The council said these sessions will consider matters arising from the further changes together with those matters which were postponed, including main matters 4, 5 and 10 and climate change, which have already been subject to separate consultation. The resumed sessions are scheduled to last for up to three days.
Anyone interested in attending the resumed examination sessions should notify the programme officer as soon as possible in advance of the sessions; otherwise you will not be able to participate at the sessions, the council added.
In addition, the council said any residents, or other interested third parties, requiring clarification on these matters, can contact its strategic planning and developments' team based at Waterside House in Sale on email strategic.planning@trafford.gov.uk
