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.”
Huge shuttle bus effort laid on to get Manchester United fans to Old Trafford amid tram disruption
Daisy Jackson
Transport for Greater Manchester has announced a shuttle bus scheme to help Manchester United fans get to Old Trafford this week, amid major tram disruption.
Fans won’t be able to use trams to get to the ground as usual, due to huge improvement works which are in place until Monday 2 November.
There’ll be no trams at all on the Altrincham, Trafford Park, and Eccles lines, with Airport and East Didsbury trams only going as far as Firswood.
That means that fans heading to Manchester United’s home game against Bournemouth would have been a little stuck without this newly-announced shuttle bus service.
Frequent dedicated shuttle buses will run running Piccadilly Gardens, Altrincham Interchange and the Trafford Centre, taking fans directly to Old Trafford before the game.
Frequencies range from five to 20 minutes depending on the route and time, with details available online. Return services will be in place after the final whistle.
TfGM staff will be at key stops and interchanges throughout the day to help fans get to the match and provide travel advice.
Huge shuttle bus effort laid on to get Manchester United fans to Old Trafford amid tram disruption. Credit: TfGM
Ian Davies, TfGM’s Network Director for Metrolink, said: “There is no good time to disrupt passengers to carry out these works, and this is the first time in over a decade that trams won’t serve Old Trafford on a match day, but these works are essential and will enable us to provide a better service in future. I am very sorry to fans who face disruption.
“We’ve put a range of alternative travel options in place, including dedicated shuttle buses, bolstered Bee Network bus services, rail options and ticket acceptance arrangements will help fans get to and from the game.
“Journey options will be different from usual, so we would encourage supporters to plan ahead, check their route and our website before they travel and leave plenty of time to get to and from the stadium.”
TfGM is advising supporters to leave around an hour earlier to help make sure they arrive in time for kick-off.
Andy Burnham introduces new rules to tackle ‘rip-off’ parking charges
Daisy Jackson
City centre parking is at a premium, especially in a city like Manchester – but we’ve surely all made honest mistakes when paying and been slapped with eye-watering fines as a result.
Well now, Andy Burnham has announced a new Private Parking Code of Practice, which will clamp down on ‘rip-off’ private parking charges.
It will also make it easier for drivers to challenge unfair charges, capping charges for ‘smaller slip-ups’ at £20, and scrapping charges altogether on appeal for ‘honest mistakes’.
The new Code will get drivers a guaranteed five minutes to decide whether to park and 10 minutes to leave once their session ends.
Under the new Private Parking Code of Practice laid in Parliament today, you’ll be able to appeal to have all charges scrapped for honest mistakes like stopping briefly to check directions, and for situations like a medical emergency, breakdown or broken ticket machine.
Then charges will be capped at £20 for other mistakes such as forgetting a parking permit, entering the wrong vehicle’s registration or forgetting to confirm it in the machine when parking.
The Code also freezes the maximum parking charge at £100. Operators who don’t comply risk losing access to DVLA data, meaning that even if they issue a charge, it will be far more difficult to identify the registered owner to pursue payment.
Data shows just under 17 million private parking charges were issued in the UK last year alone.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: “Being a few minutes late back to your car or typing one digit of your numberplate wrong shouldn’t end with a hefty fine landing on your doormat.
“These charges leave people feeling ripped off and out of pocket, so I’m putting a stop to them.
Andy Burnham introduces new rules to tackle ‘rip-off’ parking charges. Credit: Unsplash, Samuel Isaacs
“We are introducing clearer rules, longer grace periods and lower charges for genuine mistakes, while going after the deliberate scams that rip drivers off.”
Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Angela Rayner said: “Parking should be straightforward, not another everyday hassle. These changes mean drivers get a fairer deal, protected time to park and leave without fear of being unfairly charged, and confidence that private parking providers are held to a higher standard.
“It’s yet another step forward in this government’s plan to take the stress out of everyday life and ease the pressure on people’s pockets.”
Minister for Consumer Action, Kate Dearden, said: “Nobody works hard for their money just to be deceived by a dodgy trader, and this is exactly the kind of everyday rip-off this government is going after.
“By making it easier to take action against car clocking, we are protecting consumers’ hard-earned money and supporting businesses that play by the rules.”
Emily Sergeant -
14th March 2022 
