The plans, which have been put forward by the joint venture between Bruntwood Works and Trafford Council, are to transform the Stamford Quarter in Altrincham into a mixed-use destination making the area “an even better place to live, work and play for local families and the wider community.”
At the heart of the proposals are plans to reshape the high street by blending retail, leisure, commercial and residential space in a bid to encourage more people to come into the town centre, helping to support the long-term, sustainable growth of the local economy.
Plans include the redevelopment of larger vacant units – including the former Rackhams site – into commercial workspaces that could cover up to 75,000 sq ft with proposals for retail and hospitality operators to take space on the ground floor creating a unique arrival experience.
There’ll also be the introduction of a Stamford Quarter pop-up shop on George Street, where retailers can ‘pop up’ and trial new concepts on the high street, as well as cafes and restaurants to complement the Stamford Quarter’s existing retail and leisure offering. New retail and leisure offerings along Stamford New Road will also act as an anchor to draw people into the Stamford Quarter.
There are also plans to introduce town centre living through the redevelopment of Clarendon House and Sunningdale and Kingfisher House, a move which would help to support and sustain a thriving and liveable town centre.
At Clarendon House, the former office and library building, there is the opportunity to provide a range of residential units, whilst Sunningdale House presents a unique opportunity to build modular homes that would create a highly sustainable rooftop neighbourhood and green space.
The public realm across much of the town centre has already been improved as part of its recent regeneration and the latest plans intend to build on this further. They would see 24,000 sq ft of the public realm, including Stamford Square – which sits at the gateway to the town, transformed into an attractive square that creates a new focal point and hub for families and the local community.
This will focus on creating a playful, flexible space that can be used for community events, outdoor exercise classes and live music, further enhancing the quality and attractiveness of the town centre.
It will be made possible through the introduction of moveable furniture and feature tree planting; catenary lighting to create atmosphere and maximise the useable public realm; as well as new stepped access. This would include seating terraces and integrated planting to improve pedestrian connectivity and better link the Square to Stamford New Road and Altrincham Interchange.
Cllr Andrew Western, Leader of Trafford Council, said: “Trafford Council is keen to gather as many views as possible on these plans and wants the local community to take the lead. Your views are vitally important to us and will shape our future.
“We have made creating successful and thriving places a top priority and the plans for the regeneration of the Stamford Quarter meet our commitments. The exciting mix of retail, residential, leisure and commercial will create a Stamford Quarter to be proud of and one for all generations to enjoy. The plans also meet other Trafford Council priorities of having pride in our areas and being green and connected.”
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The local community is invited to share their views and provide feedback on the plans via the Stamford Quarter website:
The consultation will be open until Friday 16th April.
