Mancunians are being asked for their say on an ambitious multi-million pound masterplan to transform Stretford Mall and the surrounding area.
The masterplan – which is being put forward by the joint venture between Bruntwood Works and Trafford Council – will provide places to play, work, shop and live in Stretford town centre, as part of the wider Stretford Masterplan and the Area Action Plan (AAP).
The initial proposals are now being shared following feedback and responses collated over “an extensive 15-month public consultation” with the local community.
The proposed transformation – which covers more than 27 acres and comprises five neighbourhoods (Victoria, St Ann’s, Lacy Street, Stretford Centre and Stretford House) – includes plans for a phased redevelopment of Stretford Mall, the historic King Street to be reinstated to provide a thriving high street, as well as improved transport links, pedestrianised streets, more greenery and open spaces, and a reconfigured town centre with better connections to the Bridgewater canal.
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It also includes plans to repurpose the Lacy Street area, which will unlock the connection between the town centre and the canal – an important green infrastructure and recreational route.
More green meeting areas will be created with public squares and open spaces, with proposals for a green biodiversity corridor including a Library Square and a ‘Central Park’ at the heart of the town centre.
Plans will also create improved access to the Bridgewater canal.
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There are also further plans to provide up to 800 varied residential units around Stretford Mall and St Matthew’s Church, which will include affordable housing.
Bruntwood Works / Trafford Council
Speaking on the unveiling of the masterplan, Cllr Andrew Western – Leader of Trafford Council – said: “I am hugely excited by the wide-ranging regeneration plans for Stretford and I know local residents also share that excitement.
“Trafford Council has placed regeneration at the heart of our corporate priorities.
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Stretford has enormous potential, making it one of the most exciting towns in the region [and] by sharing ideas and plans with the local community, we’ve ensured residents are at the centre of proposals for its future.
“The Stretford Masterplan is the culmination of a long-term collaborative partnership, and it’s a pleasure to work towards a shared vision and goals with Bruntwood Works and the local community. The proposals will significantly improve connectivity, create valuable green and open spaces, and hubs for people to gather and interact, [while also helping to] attract local independent businesses and exciting retail and hospitality brands [and] enhance the lives of local residents and visitors.”
Andrea George – Town Centre & Consumer Brands Director at Bruntwood Works – said: “One key theme to emerge from the public’s feedback is the importance of bringing back a vibrant high street, which will be the beating heart of the town.
“We plan to do this by reinstating King Street and delivering the right blend of retail, leisure, workspace and mixed use space to meet the needs of the community, where local independents can be neighbours with exciting brands.
“Green and open spaces that can safely bring people together are at the centre of our proposals.
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“The plan will deliver a mix of leafy public squares and parks, including Library Square and Central Park, and change traffic flows around the town to make it easier and safer to get around town on foot and by bicycle, while connecting the town centre with the canal waterfront.
“We look forward to working in partnership with local residents, businesses and Trafford Council to help reinvigorate Stretford town centre, and build upon its heritage so it works better for the future.”
Bruntwood Works / Trafford CouncilBruntwood Works / Trafford Council
The masterplan released today follows three rounds of public consultation in 2020, with thousands of local residents taking part.
Residents are now able to provide feedback on the plans via the Stretford Mall Public Consultation website here, and the planning application for the Stretford Mall and Lacy Street masterplan – the first schemes to be developed to turn the plan into reality – is due to be submitted in February 2021.
The consultation window for resident feedback is open until 5th February 2021.
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Incredible misty drone footage shows how Manchester earned its ‘Manctopia’ nickname
Daisy Jackson
Drone footage captured from way above Manchester shows just how quickly the city has grown – and proves that our hometown is well on its way to earning its ‘Manctopia’ nickname.
Cast your mind back just a few years and you’ll remember that Beetham Tower stuck out like a sore thumb, towering many storeys above the next tallest building.
In fact, until just four years ago, the next-tallest building here was City Tower, which was a good 17 storeys shorter than Beetham Tower.
Then along came Renaker with visions for an entirely new skyscraper neighbourhood – Deansgate Square.
The drone footage captured above Manchester. Credit: Instagram @lef_tsotour
This group of skyscrapers now completely dominate the Manchester skyline, with the tallest building a massive 65 storeys tall.
South Tower is not only the tallest building in Greater Manchester, it’s also the 10th tallest in the entire UK, and the biggest outside of London.
It’s all led to Manchester being coined ‘Manctopia’, the name of a BBC documentary that followed property developers Capital & Centric as they redevelop buildings around the region.
One local photographer has managed to capture the unbelievable scale of our new, ultra-modern city skyline, with drone footage soaring among the skyscrapers.
Known on Instagram as @lef_tsotour, they shared a video taken on a misty Manchester morning.
It captures both Deansgate Square, with sun glinting off the many windows of the towers, and the now-dwarfed Beetham Tower.
You can also see the railway lines snaking through the city centre, cars nipping around the ring road, and the comparatively small apartment blocks around Castlefield.
Commenting on the video, one person said: “This is mint.”
Another wrote: “Fricken love this!!!!”
Featured image: @lef_tsotour
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Question Time audience stunned as first-time buyer says mortgage quote DOUBLED
Danny Jones
Thursday night’s Question Time audience could be heard audibly gasping after a fellow crowd member revealed that her mortgage quote had doubled followed the recent mini-budget.
Taping in Manchester on 29 September, the current events and politics programme was discussing property when would-be first-time buyer Rabia revealed that her mortgage offer had jumped from an initial amount of 4.5% interest to a shocking 10.5% in just a matter of days.
As you can see in the incredible clip, both the audience and the panel are taken aback at the revelation.
The gasps from the audience as this woman reveals she’s received a revised mortgage offer of 10.5%. pic.twitter.com/a5Nb1co8al
The Greater Manchester resident said she is desperate to know what the government’s plan for mortgages is as following the latest revision, she says she simply cannot afford to put the money down on her first home.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer weighed in on the social media reaction, quote tweeting the clip from his party’s own account and stating that “the Tories must get back to Parliament and reverse their kamikaze budget” as the current economic mess is being “paid for by working people”.
The government’s economic chaos is already clobbering those like Rabia who're trying to get a mortgage or to re-mortgage.
This crisis was made in Downing Street but it’s being paid for by working people.
The Tories must get back to Parliament and reverse their kamikaze budget. https://t.co/bw8B2TOUgl
To make matters worse, Rabia was given no clarification from her lenders, only that they were pulling her offers. Conservative MP and Minister for Local Government, Faith and Communities, Paul Scully had little information to offer her either, simply stating it is a short-term effect and that the market will stabilise.
Scully was subject to an entirely different reaction from the audience as well after his blind attempts to defend Prime Minister Liz Truss and Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng were met with laughter. Conversely, Richard Bacon was met with applause after he labelled the mini-budget “absurd”.
As if the anti-Tory sentiment wasn’t already at a high, the chancellor’s mini-budget – which saw the corporations, bankers and the generally wealthy benefit ahead of the working class – has seen fresh calls for a general election to be held as soon as possible.
Beyond declaring a so-called £2,500 limit on energy bills (which many have warned isn’t a guaranteed cap), there was seemingly very little in the way of policy that
For those still unclear as to what was announced in the divisive mini-budget, here is a quick summary:
Speaking in a speech at the Labour conference in Liverpool on Tuesday, Starmer said that the government “haven’t just failed to fix the roof, they’ve ripped out the foundations, smashed the windows and now they’ve blown the doors off for good measure.
Emily Sergeant -
15th January 2021 
