Landmark developments set for green light

Proposals to build around 700 apartments across two landmark developments, which involve regenerating prominent sites near Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium and Cornbrook tram stop, look set to be given the green light.Trafford Council’s planning committee is due to determine applications for a 354-apartment development and a 363-home project at its next meeting on Thursday, 10 August 2017.The first is a full planning application by Cole Waterhouse (TW) to demolish existing warehouse buildings on a site next to Victoria Warehouse and the grade II-listed Trafford Road swing bridge over the Manchester Ship Canal and create a new development known as No 1 Old Trafford. A pair of distinctive 18-metre-high steel art sculptures, known as the Skyhooks, are located on the east and west sides of the plot and would be retained as part of the scheme.The plot is approximately 400 metres from the existing Pomona Metrolink stop and immediately next to the proposed Wharfside stop, which forms part of the network’s planned £350m extension to the Trafford Centre.No 1 Old Trafford is envisaged as a private rented sector (PRS) development featuring 139 one-bed apartments, 211 two-bed apartments and four three-bed apartments across two main buildings rising 15 and 18 storeys high. There would also be commercial uses at ground-floor level and 59 parking spaces across the 5plus Architects-designed scheme.Ahead of the meeting, a report prepared by planning officers has recommended that councillors should be minded to grant the application.Meanwhile, a full planning application by Bellward Properties to demolish all existing buildings on a site bounded by Chester Road to the west, Virgil Street to the south and Princess Street to the north to make way for a scheme known as Cornbrook Works is also on the agenda. The Tim Groom-designed PRS scheme involves five blocks rising up to 19 storeys high.It is envisaged that there would be 144 one-bed apartments, 164 two-bed apartments, 15 two-bed duplexes, 39 two-bed townhouses and one three-bed townhouse. There would also be new public realm, shared external amenity space in the form of gardens and raised terraces, private amenity space for a number of the homes as either gardens or balconies, and a residents’ gym.In addition, 101 parking spaces and 405 bicycle spaces are planned.Councillors have been advised to grant consent for the scheme by planning officers.