Plans have been submitted to transform Stretford’s King Street as part of the wider masterplan for the area. Developers Bruntwood and Trafford council have submitted detailed plans for the street – which include reinstating the historic King Street as Stretford’s high street, mixing existing businesses with new shops, cafes and bars.
A new covered market hall is also planned, which will provide a home for shops and restaurants, bars and outdoor seating areas.
Bruntwood and Trafford council received outline planning approval for the Stretford town centre transformation masterplan earlier this month. The developers said plans centre around creating people-friendly spaces and new pedestrian routes into and around the town centre.
The area will also see widespread landscaping and tree-planting and ‘significant investment’ to transform the existing multi-storey car park to make it secure. There will also be a new King Street Square to provide outdoor seating areas, market stalls and events space.
The wider area masterplan include up to 800 new homes, green public space and a new canalside neighbourhood.
Coun Andrew Western, leader of Trafford council, said: “Trafford council is committed to creating successful and thriving places and having pride in all of our town centres. The King Street development certainly meets this criteria and will completely transform Stretford town centre into a modern, vibrant and exciting place to be.
“We have engaged with the community every step of the way and have taken the public’s thoughts and ideas on board concerning exactly what they want. Stretford deserves to have a first class town centre containing great shops, cafes, green spaces and community areas and, working alongside Bruntwood, that is exactly what we plan to deliver.”
Andrea George, town centre and consumer brands director at Bruntwood, said: “We’re proud to be moving forward with the ambitious plans to revitalise the King Street area, and to be one step closer to unveiling the vibrant new heart of Stretford.
“The engagement we’ve had from residents, visitors and the wider community on the vision for their future town centre has been overwhelming. A wealth of green spaces, a fresh and inspiring shopping area, and great cafes, restaurants, community facilities and play spaces were all really important features for King Street, and we’ve incorporated these into the plans.”
The King Street proposals are one of the projects to receive funding from the Government’s £830m Future High Streets Fund (FHSF).
The fund, launched by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government in December 2018, is designed to support and fund local areas’ plans to make their high streets and town centres fit for the future.
Last year, Trafford council received £17.6m funding to regenerate and transform Stretford town centre – one of only four areas of the North West to receive the full allocation. The plans for King Street have been shaped following ‘extensive community engagement with local residents, stakeholders and businesses’ last year.
