Trafford nudges £6m Longford Park scheme forward
Using £3.1m of National Lottery funding, the council wants to overhaul its largest municipal park, with work due to start in March 2025.
Trafford Council’s executive met earlier this week to agree to move the project to the next phase – asking the National Lottery for permission to start the scheme.
This effectively locks in the grant funding and allows Trafford to begin the hunt for a consultant team to lead the £6m redevelopment. At present, the authority has scheduled completion for December 2027.
Previously home to the 1836 Longford House mansion – itself the former home of philanthropist John Rylands – Longford Park was acquired by Trafford Council in 1911 and turned into a public park.
Working with The Environment Partnership and community group Friends of Longford Park, Trafford Council has developed a masterplan for the park.
The council’s planning committee signed off the proposals last spring.
Schemes outlined within the masterplan, which can be viewed in more detail by searching for reference number 110093/FUL/23 on Trafford Council’s planning portal, include:
- Improvements to existing sports facilities
- Creation of a BMX track
- Formalisation of footpaths and public realm
- Redesign of the former Longford Hall site and gardens to better articulate the building’s past and create an outdoor events space
- Redesign Pets Corner and create covered and open-air animal enclosures
- Bring the Long Barn back into community use
- De-culverting Longford Brook.
Trafford do parks much better than Manchester, as well as everything else
By DH
Investment in this park is well overdue. It gets really busy but the playground and other parts are very tired.
By The Egg Man
Longford Park is already the best park in Trafford in terms to facilities. That money would be much better spent on some of the absolutely dire parks in places like Timperle
By Alan
Sounds good – I hope it’s done with care. Longford Park is an amazing resource.
By Francis
Having worked for TMBC in the past and with the Park, one of the biggest issues was the lack of a decent entrance other than the sports club car park. It’s difficult to know it’s there but delighted some of the buildings are to be invested in but not really the ambitious step change justified by its size. Longford Hall would still be there if locals had agreed to a hotel scheme 20 years ago.
By Dave
Heaton Park is located in Manchester DH
By Screw that head back on love
As well as everything else DH ? I mean literally everything ? All local councils have their pro’s and cons but tell us …such as what? enlighten us do we’re all ears. 👂
By Anonymous
Trafford has sheds more money in council tax than Manchester. Including from places five minutes from Central Manchester. As for them being better at most things, I doubt Manchester would have left Pomona Island in that state.
By Elephant
You’ve made my point for me, so thanks, have you been to Heaton Park this century?
By DH
Brilliant for pets corner. Can’t wait. Volunteers need a toilet and somewhere to make a brew. The animals need more space.
By Tre
The Longford Road east entrance is desperately in need of improvement
By Chris