Campaign group Trees Not Cars block council from putting car park next to school
Community campaign group Trees Not Cars has won a judicial review against Manchester City Council - preventing the former retail space in Ancoats from becoming a car park.
Community campaign group Trees Not Cars has won a judicial review against Manchester City Council – preventing the former retail space in Ancoats from becoming a car park.
In 2019, the council’s planning committee voted to use the former Central Retail Park as a 440-space car park for two years – despite a petition with over 9,000 signatures protesting the move.
Trees Not Cars declared the site should be used for green space and social housing given its proximity to New Islington school.
Arguing the plans lacked any community input, the campaign group took the council to court.
On Friday (February 19), a judge ruled in favour of Trees Not Cars, claiming that the council had “failed to consider the impact of air quality on the local area around Ancoats” or “consider the impact of building a polluting 440-space car park next to the only primary school in Manchester city centre”.
ADVERTISEMENT
The decision was also declared unlawful in that the “council recommended planning approval based on the wrong information, the wrong air quality assessment, and traffic analysis.”
Manchester City Council said it was “disappointed” by the ruling and has sought leave to appeal.
Gemma Cameron, a founder of Trees Not Cars, claimed the case was a landmark, having never heard of a community group defeating the council in a legal challenge.
“We have stopped the council from putting a car park next to a primary school,” she stated.
“It shows that organised community groups can take on Manchester City Council and win. It’s time for communities to fight back.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Julia Kovaliova, a lead organiser of Trees Not Cars, said she will “sleep easier at night” given her son – who attends New Islington Free School near to the site – will not be exposed to greater levels of air pollution.
“Our victory must be a wake-in up call for the council, who can’t continue to prioritise car parks and offices over clean air and green space,” she said.
“They must now go back to their plans for Central Retail Park and include significant green space with trees, grass, and playgrounds for families.”
Image: Google Maps
Manchester City Council said the “judgement does not affect the future of this site.”
A spokesperson stated: “The reason we have contested this judicial review was not about its implications for the former Central Retail Park site but the precedent it would set and the potential impact of this decision on future applications if insufficient weight was given to the previous use of sites – in this case as the car park for a retail park.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Since temporary planning permission was granted in 2019 it has not been used as a car park and it will not be before the planning permission expires in October this year.”
The statement continued: “We remain focused on bringing forward the development of this key site as soon as possible. The creation of a net zero carbon business district, with public space at its heart and as little car use as possible, will support thousands of vital new jobs for Manchester people and play a powerful part in the city’s recovery from the economic impacts of the pandemic. It is a more appropriate use for this site, right next to the inner relief road, than a park.”
The council did however state that is recognised calls for more green space and would integrate the site with an “improved Cotton Field Park”.
News
Altrincham named one of the UK’s best places to live in 2026 in The Sunday Times’ annual ranking
Emily Sergeant
A popular Greater Manchester town has been named among the UK’s best places to live by the Sunday Times in its annual ranking.
That’s right… it’s that time of year, once again.
The Sunday Times is known for pulling together a list of what it considers to be the most sought-after places to live in the UK every year, and 2026’s ranking has officially been published today – with dozens of locations across the country making up the comprehensive guide, and six of those coveted locations being right here in the North West.
The Sunday Times’s expert judges have visited all locations on the list, and assessed factors such as schools, transport, culture, broadband speeds, access to green spaces, the health of the high streets, and much more to devise the always-talked-about annual ranking.
Macclesfield in Cheshire, Eden Valley in Cumbria, Lancaster in Lancashire, and Aigburth in Liverpool are just some of the North West areas named by the publication in the 2026 list.
Altrincham has been named one of the best places to live in the UK / Credit: The Manc Group
A spotlight has also been shone on two Greater Manchester towns, and one of two has even been given the regional North West title… but which are they?
Where has taken the top spot as the best place to live in the North West for 2026, and is therefore one of the best places to live in the whole of the country? Well, that honour has been given to none other than Greater Manchester’s very-own Altrincham.
The publication described the Trafford town as ‘classy, cool and effortlessly comfortable’.
“Altrincham is a top-notch town brimming with independent businesses and big brands, and now it’s flying even higher,” The Sunday Times said.
The fact that co-working has now arrived on the high street thanks to the conversion of the old Rackhams department store, and that the town’s cultural and creative ‘cachet’ is also on the rise, have been highlighted as reasons as to why Altrincham has been chosen as the North West’s winner, as well its newly-flourishing fitness scene.
Of course, the town has also been praised for its transport links into Manchester city centre and across the region, as well as it being a great place for families thanks to the excellent local schools on offer.
Didsbury was the other Greater Manchester town chosen to represent the best of the North West – with the Manchester suburb described as being ‘stylish, solid, safe, and, yes, a little bit smug in parts… but that’s okay’.
You can read the full Altrincham feature here, and see where else The Sunday Times included in its list for 2026 here.
Featured Image – Geograph
News
11 arrested and £70k cash seized during early-morning police drug raids across Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
11 people have been arrested, as well as a large amount of cash and drugs seized, during early-morning raids across Greater Manchester.
The raids took place during the early hours of the morning yesterday (Thursday 19 March 2026), where Greater Manchester Police (GMP) successfully executed eight warrants simultaneously across Tameside, Oldham, and Rochdale to tackle a ‘suspected criminal network’ involved in the distribution of class A drugs and firearms.
Officers from Tameside Programme Challenger team, the District Intelligence Unit (DIU), and GMP’s Tactical Aid Unit (TAU) were deployed to each of the addresses.
Following weeks of intelligence gathering and preparation, a total of 11 people – each aged between 24 and 77 – were arrested on suspicion of drug-related offences during the raids.
Eight men and three women were arrested on suspicion of a range of offences, including conspiracy to supply class A and B drugs, being part of an organised crime group, possession with intent to supply, money laundering, and possession of an offensive weapon.
They all remain in police custody for questioning at this time, GMP confirmed.
During searches of the addresses, various class A, B and C drugs – including crack cocaine, heroin, cannabis, and nitrous oxide – were seized, while further recoveries of £70,000 in cash, a zombie knife, a BB gun, and four vehicles were also made at the same time.
Speaking following the success of the raids yesterday, Chief Superintendent Shan Nasim, District Commander for Tameside, said: “[This] operation has been a powerful example of our continued, determined effort to dismantle organised crime in our district and Greater Manchester.
“We have 11 people in custody being questioned by our investigation teams in relation to an organised crime group (OCG) that have been causing widespread harm across our communities.
“This action caused significant disruption of an organised crime group (OCG) and has prevented drugs and weapons from reaching the streets, as well as the associated harms that come hand in hand with organised crime.
“Organised criminals exploit vulnerable people and blight our communities; we will take robust action to catch offenders, keep our communities safe, and protect vulnerable people across Greater Manchester.”
The Manc -
19th February 2021 
