Category: Blog

News outlets were last night carrying a story that Trafford Council’s handling of the planning applications for the Tesco/LCCC project and the White City supermarket determined by the same planning committee are to be challenged in the High Court.

Guardian

Trafford really have made a dog’s breakfast over this whole episode. We’ve seen the related plans for the Academy thrown out and it really feels as though the Tory Council lacks the ability to deliver large projects. There’s a telling comparison between Labour’s celebrated development of Sale Waterside and the continuously stalled progress of Urmston town centre under the Tories. We know the Tories couldn’t give tuppence for Stretford Town Centre, but even when they find something they want to get behind in the north of the borough, in this case the Cricket Club, they’ve turned the delivery into such a shambles.

The case against a super-sized Tesco at that location was so compelling, it doesn’t surprise me that Derwent Holdings are challenging the rejection of their proposal.

And it’s not only Tory ineptitude that’s hurting the Cricket Ground Development

On the same day as the news of the High Court Challenge, we’ve had the disappointing news that the North West Development Agency is cutting its contribution from £7.2m to £5.2m due to the Conservative Government’s cuts. Thankfully, the cricket ground believes it can cope with this reduction.

Pointedly we’ve been arguing that the £21m that Trafford is contributing to the Cricket Ground is too much for Trafford residents to bear and we should negotiate down that figure. Trafford’s Tories rejected this as it would jeopardise Test Cricket. Funny that when the North West Development Agency makes the cut, LCCC can still cope.

image: Clock tower, Trafford Town Hall by Christine Johnstone, CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Why cuts are the wrong cure from False Economy on Vimeo.

Very Welcome enhancements to Lostock Skateboard Park giving better practice facilities

Following receipt of the welcome news from Central Government that Trafford Council is now able to proceed with a number of its planned Playbuilder projects we are contacting you for information purposes with a copy of the final design for Lostock Park.

For those of you who represent children and young people we would be grateful if you could display the plan in your out of school clubs, schools and youth facilities and thank the children and young people on our behalf for their involvement.

To those adults involved we thank you also for giving up some of your time during the consultation period and would like you, if you represent a group, to bring the plan to the attention of your group.

Please be advised that the hugely reduced timescale we are working to necessitates that we proceed very quickly with this scheme and therefore, though we welcome your comments ( we have already received helpful comments in this case) and where appropriate will do our best to take account of them we will be strongly influenced by the available timescale.

Please address any queries or comments you have to Liz Clay within 14 days of the date of this email.

Best wishes Liz Clay

Sure Start Early Years Team, Children & Young Peoples Service, 4th Floor, Waterside House, Sale, M33 7ZF

Image

Alex Proimos from Sydney, Australia, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The following consultations have been forwarded:

Warren Bruce Road (nr Imperial War Museum)

Waiting restrictions close to traffic lights and access points along the road

see map

see document

Longford Road (Gorse Hill off Chester Road)

Restrictions to combat illegal match-day parking operations.

see map

see document

Good work from Stretford Neighbourhood Police Team, responding to residents’ concerns

Police pressure closes off-licence

The Stretford Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) has taken action in response to complaints from residents about antisocial behaviour (ASB) and underage drinking.

First Choice Convenience (at Lostock Circle) has closed after officers successfully objected to a transfer of premises licence at a hearing of the Trafford Council Licensing Sub-Committee on 16 November.

The decision to reject the application was taken after the committee heard that the applicant had
— Failed to keep closed circuit television recordings
— Employed an illegal immigrant
— Allowed sales of alcohol to underage customers

The objection is the latest in a series of measures introduced by the Stretford NPT to reduce the number of incidents of ASB in the area. Over recent months, officers have increased patrols in hot spot areas and have worked with Trafford Council and housing trust organisations to secure asb orders and housing evictions for persistent offenders.

Between 1 April and 22 November 2010, there have been 1646 incidents of ASB in Stretford and Old Trafford, 612 fewer than the corresponding period in 2009. This equates to a 27 per cent reduction.