Long-awaited Stretford masterplan unveiled
Trafford Council and developer Bruntwood Works’ blueprint for the town centre proposes building 800 homes, revamping Stretford Mall, reinstating King Street high street and repurposing the Lacy Street car park into a mixed-use scheme.
The joint venture’s masterplan follows three rounds of public consultation on early-stage proposals last year, and the completed plan is now out for consultation until 5 February.
It proposes rejuvenating a 27-acre area of the Greater Manchester surburb comprising five neighbourhoods – Victoria, St Ann’s, Lacy Street, Stretford Centre and Stretford House – with improved transport links, pedestrianised streets, more greenery and open spaces, and a reconfigured town centre with better connections to the Bridgewater canal.
The masterplan also includes a much-anticipated phased redevelopment of Stretford Mall, intended to improve the town’s retail and leisure offering.
Specific plans include:
- to reinstate the historic King Street as a thriving high street, and developing a ‘Makers Yard’ hub for small independent retailers and restaurants, with outdoor seating, eateries and bar areas.
- provide up to 800 residential units around Stretford Mall and St Matthew’s Church, to include affordable homes
- repurpose the Lacy Street area into a mixed-use space to unlock the connection between the town centre and the canal and open up the waterfront area. A series of interlinked public realm spaces would be created to bring people into Stretford from the wider area
- create green ‘meeting areas’ with public squares and open spaces, and a green ‘biodiversity corridor’, including a Library Square and Central Park at the heart of the town centre. The features would also improve access to the Bridgewater canal
- transform Stretford Mall and the surrounding area into a sustainable retail and leisure centre
The JV wants to unlock access to the Bridgewater Canal and create a waterside scheme
The masterplan is part of Trafford Council’s wider Stretford Masterplan and Area Action Plan. The council has already begun opening up the site to make way for future work – last July, it won approval to knock down the former Royal Mail building on Lacy Street. That site was earmarked in the latest of the Stretford Masterplan to provide a “mixed development including affordable housing and student accommodation with retail and café and restaurant uses at ground floor level”.
Following the consultation on the latest proposals for Stretford, Trafford Council aims to submit a planning application for the first phase of the town centre masterplan – the Stretford Mall and Lacy Street proposals – in February.
Trafford leader Cllr Andrew Western said: “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. It will also help attract local independent businesses and exciting retail and hospitality brands, while enhancing the lives of residents and visitors.”
Around 800 homes, including affordable units, are included in the plans
Andrea George, town centre and consumer brands director at Bruntwood Works, said: “One key theme to emerge from the public’s feedback last year 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.”
She added: “Green and open spaces that can safely bring people together are also at the centre of our proposals. 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.”
Trafford Council struck a deal to buy Stretford Mall from M&M Asset Management in September 2019 as a key enabler of its plans for the town’s rejuvenation.
The historic King Street would be repurposed into a hub for independent retailers
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How are cyclists going to navigate the towpath if that is the design?!?!?!
By Disgruntled Goat
The master planning looks good on this.
The inclusion of the central park, linear park, square and open space at the canal (which is currently restricted to a narrow access) is very welcome.
Parts of Stretford are pretty rough, but once this is complete it will make an ideal urban family area, which lots of young families have already noticed.
By Anonymous
Stretford has so much potential. it’s in a great location and I for one would consider moving there if the masterplan was implemented well.
By KS
That women dipping her feet in the Bridgewater is brave!!!!! Joking aside, fantastic for Stretford and the surrounding areas. I’m interested to see the solution for the crossing of Chester Road and creating a purposeful link to the Lacy St area and the Canal. Good luck, I’m very excited.
By Matt Pickering
I certainly hope that your affordable housing will be sold only to those people wishing to live in them and not landlords looking for rental property to make a quick buck. You need to police this very carefully.
By Maggie
This is what Stretford has been waiting for. It’s old and tired as it is mad I’m all in favour of opening up the mall (well, actually dismantling it as the plans state).
There are already a number of excellent new businesses that have opened here in the last 12 months and this will increase.
I’ve already noticed an influx of new families that have moved here of late which I believe have chosen here rather than Chorlton. Is Stretford heading for gentrification?
By Sbt65
As a former resident of Stretford, I’m delighted for the area. Positive steps are being taken and it’s great to see the proposed changes.
By Paul P
Looks really good on plans, however where are all these shops and businesses going to spring up from ? The Trafford Centre is literally around the corner. I’m a bit worried that stretford will be left with an updated Mall with only a handful of shops on it.
More of it should have been demolished and parking in front of it for those driving from Sale instead of the lawned grass. The way its situated people just drive past into town. I worked at Lunn Poly back in the day and it was a lovely Mall.
By Observationist
Far too many houses/ apartments proposed in this plan for the amount of land. Please rethink the amount of housing and the style of buildings. A housing estate is not welcome. Lots of shops, restaurants, bars and leisure facilities wanted please. This will make it a desirable town centre.
By Stretford resident
What about the current businesses on Lacy St/Newton St area. They staying there.
By Anon
I love the green spaces in this plan and the ideas that have been put forward. I would just want to see this project started already!
By Fraz
The plan to build all those additional homes but then take away road space by turning it into cycling zones. Not everyone cycles or wants to cycle. Leave the roads alone we are already heavily congested on Chester Road with these silly pop up lanes
We don’t need a central park as Victoria Park/Longford Park is a stones throw away. We need more family entertainment such as a bowling alley or similar where families of all ages can enjoy the facilities
By Stretford Resident
Looks great on plan but realistically worrying. I live not to far from the mall. It definitely needs changing because the mall looks like the jungle of hulme years ago but taking away roads will create more congestion thats not needed in the area.
Housing estate your creating needs to be modern as stretford already looks rough with all the old council estates.
As for the student accommodation… how is that going to work in such small space.
By S khan
The plans look all well and good however the housing looks like they are going to be small and cramped together.I hope that the shops will be either inside or have outer covering to ward off the Manchester weather.Stretford has needed a total revamp for decades,let’s hope TBC get going on this quickly whilst they have the £ 17 million funding and not waste it .
By Porth Cothen
I don’t like this new plan for Stretford…these new building don’t last very long – cheap materials, just a money making project. Trafford council can’t spend any money on the cemetery yet they are spending all this money on this trash
By Jennifer jamieson
Not everybody wants to drive either, but currently the only people that are catered for on our streets are motorists. More than 50% of people in Greater Manchester don’t own a car. It’s time to start representing those people, and stop treating others like royalty just because they’ve got a car.
By Anonymous
I was brought up in Stretford and stayed there for 53 years so was delighted to hear that my old home town is going to be rejuvenated. It seems a little ironic that the plans appear to be reinstating Kings Street. Congratulations to all old and new residents of this wonderful town
By John Allen
In reply to Disgruntled Goat – “How are cyclists going to navigate the towpath if that is the design?!?!?!”
The image is not a literal translation, but nonetheless a useful picture.
If the canal area is developed to incorporate some leisure, I doubt that it would be right up to the towpath as shown. However, any successful leisure is likely to spill over to that area so it makes sense to be thinking about how you would manage the dynamics. Do you facilitate a by-pass for cyclists roughly equivalent to Lacy Street, or do you simply get cyclists to dismount or pad themselves through any gathered crowd?
Doesn’t really happen that often in Sale as the leisure outlets are set much further back and are higher up. Does happen to a small extent at the cruise club in Stretford and they installed barriers. The cyclists hate them. Personally, as a cyclist – my priority is a vibrant Stretford and that probably is a Stretford that makes use of the canal. Currently for Altrincham, I join the canal at Stretford Marina. In future, it might be easier for me to join the canal at Hawthorn Lane/cruise club. It’s why those A56 bike lanes are so important.
By Mike Cordingley
I welcome the investment and strongly believe Stretford has a lot to offer, but I believe the density of proposed new flats is far too high. They need to keep some level access parking for supermarket shopping and those with mobility issues otherwise people will shop where it is easier. Like the ideas for the waterfront. Infrastructure needs consideration, this side of Stretford needs a GP surgery as most are concentrated towards Victoria Park and Gorse Hill and are oversubscribed. For non drivers, these not easy to access from the Edge Lane and other South Stretford estates.
Will public transport be improved given the increase in local population? Pre-covid, Metrolink was almost inaccessible at rush hour from Stretford. Good to see new bars and restaurants – hopefully some shops will follow. We need some diversity again, you used to be able to get everything in Stretford. Putting Chester Road in a tunnel would be brilliant but I suspect too costly. I think air quality needs to be monitored as I imagine we’ll have more queues when life returns to normal. Some innovative planting on buildings may help but I hope the junction with Edge Lane doesn’t become a car park.
Could we use the large central reservation on Edge Lane between Kings Rd and Chester Rd for cyclists?
By BD
Were is the linear park going to be and what is it? Can someone help, thanks
By Mike minshall
I grew up in Stretford. When the herbalist left it was downhill all the way.
Landscaping the canal is a great idea but whilst there is a six lane motorway through the middle of the development linkage will be difficult. A tunnel from Chapel Lane to Radnor Street with landscaping over would be the perfect answer but too expensive (except in London) so reduce the number of lanes and increase the landscaping. Stop thinking it is all about vehicular traffic and start thinking about the people who live and work there.
By Alan Smith
I think it’s a crap daft idea, and a wash of money, to remove our beautiful inside mall, which gives shelter to the shopper, makes you feel safe, so I’m against it, a 100%
By Eric renshaw
Long awaited improvement scheme.
By Kevan Derr8ck