Stretford development plans submitted

11:00am Friday 9th May 2008

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TWO planning applications for substantial housing developments on canalside in Stretford have been submitted to the council's planning department.

The larger of the two concerns land formerly occupied by the Royal Canal Works in Edge Lane, and seeks permission to build 107 upmarket apartments, and includes plans for a restaurant and boat moorings.

The second, submitted by Peel Holdings - which owns almost 50 miles of the Bridgewater canal network in the Manchester area - is for 44 apartments, in blocks of up to seven storeys in height at a former boat yard, also in Edge Lane.

Both applications would see all existing buildings in the respective sites demolished.

The news has been given a cautious welcome by Stretford councillor, Steve Adshead, who told Messenger although the plans were still in their infancy, any redevelopment of the canal area could potentially be a good thing.

"At the moment we've not see the application's details," he said on Thursday. "But there's a number of councillors from Stretford and Longford wards who'll be getting together in the next week to discuss them.

Messenger asked Cllr Adshead whether in theory these types of development would be appropriate along the canalside? "I think that it would be, but until we see more details it's just too early to say," he added.

The smaller application by Peel Holdings is scheduled to be heard by Trafford's planning committee next month, but the larger, possibly more controversial seven storey development is unlikely to be heard by councillors until July at the earliest.