Trafford is a Borough with four notable town centres - Altrincham, Sale, Stretford and Urmston - as defined in planning guidance and specified in Trafford's Unitary Development Plan and emerging Local Development Framework. Each town has its own distinct identity and character and offers an individual experience.

The Trafford Partnership recognises the importance of its town centres as crucial components of the economic, environmental and social well being of the Borough. We are fortunate to have four unique centres which complement each other spread throughout the Borough, offering the people of Trafford a range of town centre facilities and services right on their doorstep. All our towns have also recently undergone or are undergoing major regeneration work that are making them more vibrant places for people to enjoy shopping, working, visiting and living.

A number of partner and Council services are responsible for many aspects of town centre provision and are key to whether the town centres attract shoppers, visitors and investment. The Town Centres Plan requires the active support of all stakeholders - residents, businesses, landowners, developers, voluntary organisations and statutory authorities such as the police as well as colleges and transport providers and it is important to work in partnership and have a co-ordinated approach to deliver first class facilities and services that make for vibrant, prosperous, distinctive, attractive and forward looking town centres.

This plan sets out the key objectives for the next 3 years. Detailed delivery plans for each theme are available in a separate document, Trafford Town Centres Delivery Plans. It is not inflexible and there may be opportunities that present themselves during this time that can be used to enhance what is already proposed.

We hope that this plan will encourage existing businesses, improve shopper and visitor confidence and will be useful to potential investors and businesses thinking about locating in any of Trafford's towns.