Long wait ends as work starts on Altrincham’s Altair

After planning the scheme for more than a decade, Nikal has finally begun work on the first phase of Altrincham’s Altair, with McGoff Construction now on site with enabling works.

Completion of the first 59 apartments is pencilled in for September 2021, with 32 of the homes now sold. The work will see a temporary closure of Moss Lane from the junction of Oakfield Road towards Stamford New Road, running for 12 weeks from 30 September.

McGoff Construction was chosen to take over from Eric Wright Construction in April this year after the latter walked away from the job, having been on board since 2016.Nikal blamed the delays on late approvals for major infrastructure work, which involved liaising with Network Rail.

It is understood other issues, including the discovery of a substation on the site, also led to increased construction costs and delays.

The first phase, which includes a block of apartments opposite Tesco Extra on Bridge Street, is due to be followed by a second mixed-use phase; McGoff Construction’s deal includes only this opening phase of the project.

Enabling works on the site are the first major works to take place since the former ATS Euromaster garage was completed more than a year ago, and mark a significant milestone in the long-running project, which has outline consent for 96,000 sq ft of retail and restaurants, coffee shops and cafes, 150 apartments and townhouses, and 35,000 sq ft of offices, and a car park

The developer has been involved with Altair for more than a decade; planning consent for a scheme twice the size of the existing consent was granted in 2008. Nikal subsequently bought out the interest of joint venture partner David McLean following its collapse into administration as the financial crisis hit.

Nikal was granted outline planning permission for the Altair site in January 2014; this was followed by approval for a second phase, featuring four buildings offering a total of 85 one, two and three-bedroom apartments, in July 2017.

A leisure centre was originally planned as part of the development, but Trafford Council is now looking to redevelop the existing leisure centre instead.