Chapter 6 - Area Based Policies

Background and General Justification

6.1 The Area Based Policies set out in this Chapter of the Plan are intended to provide a broad geographic expression of the overall economic and community regeneration aspirations and priorities of the Council over the next ten years. They provide the broad context within which the detailed Policies and Proposals set out in the succeeding topic-by-topic Chapters of this Plan have been set.

6.2 The area-by-area expression of the various types of action proposed by the Council to give an overview description of its regeneration aspirations and priorities have been taken on board from the Trafford Economic and Community Regeneration Strategy adopted by the Council in 1997.

6.3 The area descriptions determined by the Trafford Community Strategy were constructed following an examination of each part of the built-up area of the Borough in terms of its current relative physical, environmental, economic and social health, the nature and extent of the development pressures it currently is facing and likely to be facing in future years and the regeneration aspirations and priorities of the Council. For the purposes of this Plan and for ease of comprehension, the areas have been grouped into three categories – “Priority Regeneration Areas”, “Areas for Improvement” and “Areas for Protection”.

6.4 “Priority Regeneration Areas” are areas where the Council intends to secure regeneration as a matter of priority due to the intensity of social, economic and physical problems affecting the local community. Regeneration in these areas may take the form of the development or redevelopment of land, the conversion or refurbishment of buildings, landscaping improvements, improvements to the local environment and transport infrastructure and other social and community support measures.

6.5 “Areas for Improvement” are areas where the Council intends to secure improvements via actions aimed at upgrading the local environment, improving local services, facilities and amenities and other social and community support measures.

6.6 “Areas for Protection” are areas that the Council envisage continuing in their present role where it will not permit or encourage development that is likely to prejudice their character, appearance or function.

6.7 The Council intends to develop and implement a prioritised rolling programme of tailored regeneration and improvement work for these sub-areas of the Borough as the availability of its own and private sector financial resources permits.

6.8 Specific regeneration area action proposals that have been determined to date for the Ship Canal Corridor and for the Borough’s four main established town centres are contained elsewhere in the Plan as followings: -

Proposal E15 – Priority Regeneration Area: Carrington
Proposals TP1 to 13 – The Trafford Park Area
Proposal TCA1 The Trafford Centre and Vicinity
Proposal H9 – Priority Regeneration Area: Gorse Hill
Proposal H10 - Priority Regeneration Area: Old Trafford
Proposal H11 - Priority Regeneration Area: Partington
Proposal S6 - Altrincham Town Centre Regeneration Area
Proposal S7 - Sale Town Centre Regeneration Area
Proposal S8 - Stretford Town Centre Regeneration Area
Proposal S9 - Urmston Town Centre Regeneration Area

6.9 The Manchester Ship Canal Corridor runs from Cornbrook in the north east of Trafford along the Ship Canal to Partington and Carrington in the south west of the Borough. It includes Trafford Park (Proposals TP1 to TP13), the Trafford Centre and Vicinity (Proposal TCA1), Davyhulme Waste Water Treatment Plant, Wellacre at Flixton (Proposal OSR12 (i)), Carrington Priority Regeneration Area (Proposal E15) and Partington Priority Regeneration Area (Proposal H11). Part of the Corridor lies within the Manchester/Salford Regional Pole as defined in Policy SD1 of RPG 13 and is a priority for development and resources. The remainder contains, and is close to areas that contain, concentrations of social, economic and environmental problems. Development here, which is complementary to the regeneration of the Manchester/Salford Regional Pole, is a priority. For these reasons the Manchester Ship Canal Corridor is identified in this Plan as a Priority Regeneration Area.

6.10 Over the last 15 years large-scale public and private sector investment in the Corridor (including on the Salford side of the Canal) has generated much successful employment and other development that has complemented and contributed to the sustainable regeneration of the heart of the conurbation and improved social economic and environmental problems within and close to the Corridor.

6.11 The Priority Regeneration Area designation of the Corridor will enable the Council to build upon the investment and development that has already occurred to further benefit the regeneration of the heart of the conurbation, the corridor and areas close to it, within the bounds described in Proposals E15, TP1 to 13, TCA1 and H11. In doing so, the Council will also seek to exploit opportunities to improve cross canal accessibility as an important means of maximising benefits.

6.12 The intended general treatment for the other areas identified in the Policies of this Chapter is indicated in Appendix B.

Part I Policy A1 – Priority Regeneration Areas

The Council is committed as a matter of priority to the regeneration of the urban areas listed below via the development and redevelopment of land, the conversion and refurbishment of available buildings, landscaping and other environmental improvements, the construction of improvements to the local transport infrastructure and other support measures: -

The Manchester Ship Canal Corridor (from Cornbrook, through Trafford Park to the Carrington and Partington Regeneration Areas), the Old Trafford and Gorse Hill Regeneration Areas, the Sale West (including Sidmouth Road) area, Sale Moor (Beech Farm/Gratrix Lane), Lostock, Stretford and Timperley (Broomwood) Neighbourhood Regeneration Area and Altrincham, Sale, Stretford and Urmston Town Centre Regeneration Areas.

Part I Policy A2 – Areas for Improvement

The Council is committed to action to secure the improvement of the urban areas listed below via action to secure upgrading of the local environment, the development and provision of improved services, facilities and amenities and other support measures: -

The A56 corridor, the Broadheath industrial area, Woodsend Circle in Flixton and Bowdon Vale in Bowdon.

Part 1 Policy A3 – Areas for Protection

Within the urban areas of the Borough not designated by Policy A1 as a Priority Regeneration Area or be Policy A2 as an Area of Improvement, the Council will normally only seek to encourage and permit development that is compatible with and maintains and reinforces their present character, appearance and function.