Trafford Council has approved a plan to transform a key part of Altrincham town centre into luxury apartments and a 300-space multi-storey car park.
At last night’s planning and development management committee meeting, councillors approved the plans by a majority of nine to one. Trafford had recommended the scheme for approval.
The decision means that the space of land on the corner of Regent Road and New Street, currently used as parking spaces, will be the new home of two blocks of luxury apartments – one of 36 apartments and one of 34 – with a restaurant and commercial space on the ground floors of both.
Elsewhere on the site, a four-storey multi-storey car park will be developed that will ultimately allow for an additional 150-plus spaces compared to the current car park.
The development is set to be called Chapel Square in recognition of the fact that this was the site of Chapel Street, the “bravest little street in England”.
Adam Gross, director of Citybranch, the developer behind the scheme, told us he was “absolutely delighted” with the decision.
Citybranch will now be working up the design drawings and putting the project out to tender with a view to shortlisting three or four contractors to carry out the construction work.
It’s hoped that work will start on the site by August/September, with the car parking element of the project completed by late summer 2019. The entire project is scheduled to be completed by early 2020.
Gross told us: “The scheme will add to the regeneration of the town centre which has been going on few years. It will bring more people into the town centre to live, which will add to both the daytime and nighttime economy and ultimately benefit the overall economy of the town.”
Last year, Trafford Council announced its intention to sell the car park.
The new apartments will be a mix of studios, one and two-beds. There will also be four two-bed duplex apartments. The pricing has not yet been finalised.
