It’s been confirmed that Trafford Council and developers Bruntwood have been given the green light to commence the “ambitious” town centre regeneration project in Stretford.
After the multi-million pound outline planning application was submitted at the end of 2021, following what was said to have been an “extensive period” of consultation with the local community, these approved plans are intended to set the parameters for future redevelopment, Trafford Council says.
New places to play, work, eat, shop, and live are to provided in Stretford town centre as part of the wider Stretford Masterplan and the Area Action Plan (AAP).
According to the Council and Bruntwood, there are also further proposals to provide up to 800 homes around Stretford Mall, St Matthews Church, and Lacy Street car park – which will include affordable housing and bring much-needed new homes to the area.
Sustainability and the high street regeneration is said to be at the heart of the masterplan.
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The plans centre around creating people-friendly spaces and new pedestrian routes into and around the town centre with the intention of “enhancing the flow of footfall around the area”, and creating more green meeting areas with public squares and open spaces, including a green biodiversity corridor and ‘Central Park’ at the heart of the town centre, through to a much-improved Bridgewater Canal waterside experience.
The green light has been given to commence the “ambitious” town centre regeneration project in Stretford / Credit: Bruntwood & Trafford Council
A new covered market hall is also planned.
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With the aim of boosting the local evening economy, according to Trafford Council and Bruntwood, the new market hall will create a home for retailers, eateries, and bars, with outdoor seating spilling out into a new south-facing community space, which will feature a covered shopping area.
Speaking on the approval of the plans, Cllr Andrew Western – Leader of Trafford Council – said: “The planning approval is a huge milestone for Trafford Council as we can now start work to redevelop the town centre for the whole community to enjoy.
“The Stretford Masterplan is a huge moment in our long-term collaborative partnership, and it’s a pleasure to work towards a shared vision and goals with Bruntwood and the local community who were involved every step of the way.
“These exciting plans will significantly improve connectivity, create valuable green and open spaces, and special places for people to gather and interact, [and] with the high street at the centre of the plans, the masterplan will also help attract local independent businesses and exciting retail and hospitality brands, while hugely enhancing the lives of residents and visitors. We are very proud to be giving this incredible scheme the green light.”
Sustainability and the high street regeneration is said to be at the heart of the masterplan / Credit: Bruntwood & Trafford Council
Bruntwood is known for having a track record in town centre regenerations.
The company says its purpose of “creating thriving cities” recognises the need for continuous investment in the town centres that surround them to help each other succeed, and the focus of its work around reviving town centres is ensuring “social, economic, and environmental sustainability”, and creating a space that is “dynamic, inspirational, and futureproof.”
The aim of these reinvigorated town centres, according to Bruntwood, is to evolve collaboration between residents and businesses to create “inclusive and social hubs that add vibrancy to the whole community.”
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We're pleased to announce, in partnership with @TraffordCouncil, that planning approval for the transformation masterplan for Stretford Mall & Town centre has been given the green light.The project is set to transform the area into a greener, healthier & more #sustainable area. pic.twitter.com/2FFuMXY5P2
Andrea George – Town Centre and Consumer Brands Director at Bruntwood – added: “Undertaking such an extensive consultation period with the local community allowed us to create a masterplan that provides for the people of Stretford and its surrounding areas, so we are very pleased that it has been given approval allowing us to start the process of breathing new life into the town centre.
“Through these plans, the high street will become the beating heart of the town and create a dynamic and entrepreneurial district that promotes collaboration and community.
“It’s fantastic to have achieved this milestone.
“We can now move ahead with our plans and start delivering a positive evolution of Stretford for its people.”
Council calls on Manchester public to help bring hundreds of empty homes back into use
Emily Sergeant
Residents across Manchester are being called on to help bring hundreds of empty homes across the region back into use.
Since the beginning of this year, a major review has been underway around the city’s draft strategy for bringing empty homes back into use to help meet demand for affordable homes across the city, while also improving communities by tackling empty homes that can blight an area… but now, Manchester City Council needs your help.
Following a major public consultation, the Council is now acting on feedback to accelerate plans to bring as many long-term empty homes back into active use as possible.
Although the number of long-term empty homes in Manchester is near a historic low, with the Council having managed to reduce the number by more than half since 2013, there is still more work to be done.
“Every void property is a missed opportunity to provide a family a place to live, reduce homelessness, and lessen the burden on temporary accommodation,” the Council said in a statement.
The Council is calling on the Manchester public to help bring hundreds of empty homes back into use / Credit: Benjamin Elliott (via Unsplash)
So, how can residents help then? What do you need to do if you spot an empty home on a street nearby?
Well, the easiest way to report an empty home is to report the issue online here, or by emailing [email protected]. And then once that’s done, a team of dedicated empty homes officers will take up the case to find out who owns the property and work with the owner on a plan to bring the home back into use.
The vast number of empty homes are privately owned with complex histories, and there are some cases where an owner may have passed away.
While working collaboratively with housing providers, voluntary organisations and public services are also a key element of detecting potentially empty or ‘problematic’ homes to repurpose them.
Officers can also support, where required, if a communication or language poses a barrier to resolving an empty home issue.
Tailored approaches to different communities – where empty homes impact neighbourhoods in different ways – are also being considered, according to the Council.
“To think, if we could bring all empty homes back into use, then we could provide more homes for those on the housing register and take pressure off the whole housing system,” explained Cllr Gavin White, who is Manchester City Council’s executive member for housing and development.
“The potential of making empty homes a thing of the past is huge for Manchester families looking for a place to call home – and a significant part of tackling the housing crisis.”
Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons
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Urgent travel warning issued ahead of one of Manchester’s busiest event weekends of the year
Emily Sergeant
Greater Manchester is gearing up for what is set to be one of the busiest weekends of the year.
Manchester‘s biggest music festival, Parklife, returns to Heaton Park this weekend (Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 June), with tens of thousands of people expected to make the journey to see headliners Calvin Harris, Sammy Virji, Skepta, and Zara Larsson, as well as many other well-known music names… but that’s not all.
Over at the Etihad Stadium, Take That are set to perform a series of shows across the weekend, while the Etihad Campus will also host the Women’s Netball Final at Co-op Live from 3pm on Saturday afternoon.
The city will also welcome Lily Allen and the B52s across three nights at the AO Arena, and the Women’s Cricket World Cup will draw thousands to Emirates Old Trafford on 21 June, when South Africa take on India.
So, as you can see, we’ve got a jam-packed couple of days coming up.
📣 This weekend is expected to be one of the busiest in Manchester, with multiple events taking place across the city.
🚗 Public transport, roads and venues are likely to be extremely busy.
🕛 If you’re travelling anywhere this weekend, please plan ahead and allow extra time… pic.twitter.com/iqtmlSpAOR
In fact, it’s estimated that more than a quarter of a million people are expected to be travelling to the various events over the weekend, and of course, this means the roads and public transport will be significantly busier than usual.
Whether you’re one of the many fans or just making a regular journey, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is advising everyone to ‘plan ahead’, allow extra time for their journey, and avoid the busiest areas and times.
To prepare for the increase in travel, TfGM has confirmed that there will be more trams serving event venues, alongside extended tram operating times, to ensure everyone gets home safely.
For travel to and from Parklife, the specific Parklife travel ticket – which will be available on the Bee Network app – is valid on trams and buses across Greater Manchester, and this includes relevant shuttle buses operating to and from the city centre.
An urgent travel warning has been issued ahead of one of Manchester’s busiest event weekends of the year / Credit: Steve Turvey (Supplied) | TfGM
Throughout the weekend, extra staff and TravelSafe Support Officers will be out and about across the transport network to help passengers, and TfGM will be working closely with police and other partners to manage roads and the transport network around the clock.
“We’re expecting it to be very busy across the network, with more than a quarter of a million fans travelling to various sports and music events,” commented Danny Vaughn, who is the Chief Network Officer at TfGM.
“We will have as many staff as possible on the network, running as many services as we can to ensure that the Bee Network is here to help you get where you need to go.
“So, for everyone looking to get out and about, please plan ahead, check the Bee Network app for updates and have a safe journey.”
A dedicated travel page for this weekend’s event has been set up, so you can find out everything you need to know and get live updates on the Bee Network website here.
Emily Sergeant -
14th March 2022 
