Civic Quarter Masterplan public exhibition event feedback summary

A one-day public exhibition event was held on Tuesday 14 August between 2-8pm  at Trafford Town Hall. The main presentation took the form of one exhibition board which displayed a variety of images with supporting text. A comments card was made available to individuals visiting the event to provide feedback. 

An email address (civicquartermasterplan@trafford.gov.uk) was also made available for people to share their thoughts electronically on the proposals. 

Feedback results

In total, 102 comments were received. Of these, 100 comments were received by the comments card on the day of the exhibition and 2 were received via email following the exhibition. 

A number of key themes arose from the consultation which are set out below:

General observations

  • There was a lot of general support for the idea and respondents were pleased to see money being spent on improving Stretford however, some felt that it was not clear on how the proposals will genuinely benefit the local community.    
  • Some concerns were raised that the proposals were unclear and did not provide any explanations as to what is being proposed. 
  • Some questions were raised about who was financing the proposals. 
  • There were some concerns raised about what happens if the UA92 plans were not viable and the impact this would have on the other planned investments. 
  • There are some concerns that the processional route would attract ASB and litter. 

Landscaping

  • The public would like to see a ‘green’ landscaped Civic Quarter. 
  • Residents would like more landscaping to be added to this area to make it more attractive. 

Transport and movement

  • There is a general agreement that the current levels of congestion in the area, particularly Talbot Road and Chester Road, is too high. There were suggestions that more consideration could be given to a traffic management strategy. 
  • The was a general consensus that the processional route is a good idea and will encourage more cycling and enhanced pedestrian routes.  However, some considered that this should be extended further to connect to existing routes beyond the SRF boundary. 
  • Some respondents raised concerns in relation to the road closure and pedestrianisation of Talbot Road, considering that this would worsen congestion in other areas of Stretford. 
  • Residents would like to see more signposts to places of interest in the surrounding areas (e.g. The Lowry, Hotel Football, Salford Quays, Manchester Ship Canal, Chorlton and Media City). 
  • The route from Old Trafford Metrolink should act as an attractive gateway into the Civic Quarter to give the impression of arriving at a significant location. 
  • There is a request that travel plans are made widely available and set out the potential impact on public transport, such as Metrolink capacity, allowing for the increased development proposed in the area. 
  • A number of respondents requested that more consideration was given to the car parking provision and requested plans for the improvement of parking facilities. 

Housing

  • A number of respondents felt that the housing mix should be focused on delivering lower rise, affordable family homes. 
  • There were some concerns raised that the proposals would cause an imbalance in student housing in the area which would result in an inadequate provision of local housing. 

Proposed facilities

  • There was a general consensus that there is a real opportunity for more cafes, bars and restaurants in the area which would support a better day to night time economy. 
  • There is support for the introduction of occasional markets in the civic square, including farmers markers, artisan markets and Christmas markets. 
  • Some people suggested that plans for a publicly accessible sports centre should be available which includes squash courts and a swimming pool. 
  • Some respondents felt that the mix of uses had to be carefully considered to ensure that the area was active all year round, and not just on match days.  
  • The UA92 proposal needs to make links with the local community to ensure that they can also benefit from this development, for example using the space for community uses, especially during student holiday periods. 

Open spaces

  • The development of a public square as a focal point was widely supported. 
  • There was also strong support for public realm improvement in the area by making the area greener and more open, especially in front of LCCC and UA ’92. The design of these areas should be carefully considered to ensure that they are integrated with the new civic square and promote a more communal area and support healthy lifestyles. 
  • It was requested that a ‘green trail’ was considered to support the history and heritage of the area as there is a lot to offer.