Businesses and residents are being urged to get involved in the creation of an influential plan that will dictate the way Altrincham looks and develops over the next 15 years.
The Business Neighbourhood Plan will define the uses to which land in the town centre can be allocated, influence the size and design of future buildings and spaces, and determine where investment can be spent. It will cover the period between 2015 and 2030.
The plan is being put together by a group of community volunteers – called the Altrincham Business Neighbourhood Forum – that has been formally designated by Trafford Council to undertake the task.
They will begin a three-stage process by gathering people’s thoughts through a questionnaire, which is now online at myaltrincham.org, as well as in person at a number of locations across Altrincham.
The second stage, early next year, will ask for comment on draft proposals, while the third stage next summer will ask for comment on final proposals.
The plan will then be submitted to the council, who will hold two referenda: one for local businesses in the plan area, and another for residents within a wider, to-be-determined boundary.
If both businesses and residents vote for the plan, the council must adopt it. If there is one ‘yes’ and one ‘no’, the council can decide whether they adopt the plan. If both are against, the plan is not taken forward.
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Chair of the forum, Tony Collier, said: “The creation of this plan is so important as it will help to determine how Altrincham will look and develop in the future.
“To create a plan that will truly benefit the town we need the help of those who know their town best; those who live and work here. We need their participation to tell us what they want to see and how they want their town centre to look.
“Their thoughts will count and at the end of the process they will get the opportunity to vote for or against the plan. If they vote for it, Trafford Council must use the plan as the basis for all their town centre planning decisions.
“This shows just how real and influential this plan will be and we hope the people of Altrincham will want to own it and get involved.”
A campaign – using the strapline ‘I’m In Altrincham – Your town. Your plan.’ – has been launched to encourage people to take part in the process. Posters and leaflets are being distributed across the town.
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