Why develop in Trafford

Trafford is a highly desirable and much sought-after place to live. It has excellent schools, four town centres with their own unique character, great connectivity, and a wide range of homes to choose from. Its parks and green spaces provide relief from the urban environment and opportunities for fresh air and improving wellbeing.

Locally distinctive buildings, mainly in red brick, give a sense and understanding of place. Town and village centres draw in residents and visitors in both the daytime and the evening. The borough also offers a wealth of opportunities:

  • Trafford is part of Greater Manchester, the UK’s strongest economic centre outside London and the Southeast.
  • Trafford is at the heart of the Manchester City Region celebrated as the Enterprise Capital of the North West; it’s home to the highest proportion of companies per head of population.
  • Getting around Trafford is quick and effortless thanks to good public transport links, including the Metrolink.
  • Trafford will be home to the proposed HS2 Airport Station, providing high-speed rail connections between London and the North of England.
  • Access in and out of Trafford is easy via the M60 and M56 motorways, the extensive rail network, and Manchester Airport which is just a short distance away.
  • Trafford has a strong local economy and is home to various local, national, and international businesses including Kelloggs, Unilever, L’Oreal and Adidas.
  • Trafford is world-renowned as a place of sporting excellence as the home of Manchester United Football Club and Lancashire County Cricket Club.
  • Trafford has a strong residential market with almost 2,000 residential properties built in the last 3 years
  • Trafford is passionate about delivering good quality development in the right places. Planning permission has been granted for more than 8,000 new residential units to be completed over the next 15 years.

What we are doing to help

Our economy is growing and it’s important that we have the right connections in place to support this growth. With more traffic on our roads than ever before, we are committed to delivering sustainable transport infrastructure. With this in mind, we strongly promote active travel and public transport. Projects include:

The Bee Network

The Greater Manchester Bee Network is a vision for a fully integrated London-style transport system across the region which joins together buses, trams, cycling, walking, and rail. The ambition is to make active travel the number one choice for travelling within Greater Manchester.

In line with the Bee Network’s vision, we have installed new cycle lanes, developed secure cycle hubs, and is developing proposals for Active Neighbourhoods. To view completed schemes, schemes currently in development, and future proposed schemes visit the Bee Active website.

Greater Manchester Cycle Hire

Transport for Greater Manchester, in partnership with Manchester City Council, Salford City Council, and Trafford Council, launched Greater Manchester’s first publicly operated, self-service, 24/7 cycle hire scheme in August 2022. 

Roll-out of the scheme will be phased with total bike numbers ramping up to 1,500, including 300 e-bikes. To find out more, visit the Cycle Hire website.

Trafford Greenway

We have an aspiration to deliver a high standard continuous Trafford Greenway which would connect the boroughs of Trafford and Salford. The proposal is an 8.6km route which would comprise of off-road pedestrian footpaths, equestrian facilities, and a two-way cycleway. This would significantly improve and attract active travel trips between Carrington and Partington, and Irlam Train Station and Altrincham Metrolink.

Trafford Park Line

A tram line, between Cornbrook and the Trafford Centre, was opened in April 2020 by the leader of Trafford Council and Andy Burnham. This provides excellent sustainable transport links to key employment sites, including Trafford Park and the wider Trafford Centre area.

Carrington Relief Road

It has been a longstanding ambition of ours to invest in transport and infrastructure in and around Carrington. One aspect of this investment will be the Carrington Relief Road, the principle of which is embodied in the 2012 Core strategy for the borough.

The objectives of the Carrington Relief Road are:

  • Providing sufficient capacity within the transport network to deliver growth in housing and employment
  • Improving journey times and journey time reliability to create a network suitable for improved public transport services
  • Providing an alternative route for traffic using the A6144
  • Creating the ability to introduce speed and safety measures and to encourage active travel, especially through Carrington Village
  • Providing improved infrastructure and environmental enhancements which encourage active travel to and within the development area, including walking, cycling and horse riding

To find out more visit the Carrington Relief Road page.

A new lease of life to our borough

Trafford Waters

The Trafford Waters development has outline permission to create a new sustainable community across 53 acres of land on the banks of the Manchester Ship Canal adjacent to the Trafford Centre. The regeneration proposals will create 3,000 new homes for 5,000 key workers, young professionals, and families.

It will be one of Greater Manchester’s largest mixed-use developments supported by a new school, health centre, 800,000 square feet of commercial office and work space, and convenience retail set in attractive public spaces. To find out more visit TraffordCity website.

Stretford Masterplan

Delivering the successful regeneration of Stretford is a key priority for us.

The Refreshed Stretford Masterplan has been prepared, following public consultation, as the Council’s strategy for securing the transformation of Stretford. The Refreshed Masterplan builds on the original Stretford Town Centre Masterplan which was approved in 2014.

The work delivered to date has helped to reposition Stretford as a more attractive destination for further investment and development. Building on this, the Refreshed Masterplan provides an ambitious and comprehensive plan to transform Stretford.

The plans will encourage significant private investment, maximise the impact of the UA92 concept to deliver an innovative higher education facility in Stretford, deliver new leisure facilities for the whole community, facilitate improvements in public spaces, and support the delivery of new housing and town centre facilities. To find out more visit the Refreshed Stretford Masterplan page.

Civic Quarter Masterplan

With around 2.5 million visitors per year to Manchester United Football Club and 500,000 to Lancashire Cricket Club, the Civic Quarter and surrounding area is the most visited place in the borough. It also contains several important civic functions and community facilities such as Trafford Town Hall, Trafford College and Stretford Leisure Centre.

However, as the area is fragmented, a significant opportunity exists to improve the visitor experience for its sporting attractions, and to create a vibrant neighbourhood for existing and new residents.

The Civic Quarter Area Action Plan (CQAAP) has been created to guide development and positive change in the Civic Quarter. The plans include new homes and offices, enhanced leisure facilities and a new public realm including a processional route between Lancashire Cricket Club and Manchester United Football Club, with improved cycle and pedestrian connections.

The CQAAP forms part of the overall Trafford Development Plan and is the statutory starting point in the determination of planning applications within the Civic Quarter. To find out more visit the Civic Quarter Area Action Plan page.