Manchester Green Party wholeheartedly welcomes the outcome of Thursday's Council Planning Meeting, concerning the proposal for Chorlton Meadows.

The proposal, to build football pitches across the Hardy Farm part of the Meadows, including floodlighting, and an all-weather pitch, had been vigorously opposed by local residents and environmental campaigners in the area. It has been described in more detail in previous blog posts.

The meeting was witnessed by about 80 members of the Save Chorlton Meadows campaign. As the topic was discussed the councillors on the committee voiced a range of objections to the scheme, and unanimously asked the planning officers to overturn their earlier consideration to approve, and provide reasons for rejection. Before the final decision, which would clearly have been rejection, the developers withdrew their plans and stated that they would not take it to appeal.

Green Party Candidate for Chorlton, Brian Candeland, (pictured at the Meadows) was present at the meeting, and said:

'This is a great victory for people power, and a huge tribute to the enthusiasm and hard work of the Save Chorlton Meadows campaign. Of the very many responses raised in the planning process 87% were opposed to the plans, and the Facebook Group for the campaign achieved over 6000 members. As a result a beautiful local amenity has been preserved for all the community. The cross-Party support in the Chorlton area has also been a great help.

This isn't necessarily the end of the matter however; the developers can always return with revised plans. We support the establishment of a village green on the meadows, to provide future protection.'

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to all – it promises to be an eventful one on the political front!

Save Chorlton Meadows: The site visit by the planning committee councillors on Thurs 14th Jan. mentioned in the previous blog post will be at 10.15 am, (please arrive a bit before then if you want to be there). The Planning Committee meeting to decide on the proposal will be at 2 pm in the Council Chambers in the Town Hall extension on the same day.

Chorlton Precinct:
the consultation on the precinct ended on 21st December; regarding next steps, the Talk Chorlton website states that “the results will be analysed and used to inform the development of a district centre plan early in 2010. The consultation report and responses received to this initial stage in the production of the future plan for Chorlton district centre will be published on the TALKChorlton website. We will of course notify people who have made representations when this document is available.”. I'll post if I get any more definite information.

Core Strategy – What's the Plan for Manchester for the next 20 years
The consultation period for the City Council's Core Strategy (mentioned in the 29th November blogpost) ends tomorrow, 4th Jan. and despite it's influence over planning in Manchester for the next 20 years, it has probably passed most people by. Manchester City Council seem to struggle with engagement. I have made a number of comments on the proposals, and have blogged on the city-wide aspects on my Mancunian Green blog.

Regarding specific references to Chorlton, the document is quite complimentary but the reference to 'some capacity for additional food retail' rings warning bells; it sounds like code for a large chain supermarket. This area attracted more comments than most in the plan, in addition to my own comments, with a large number from the Keep Chorlton Interesting (KCI) campaign.

On population, Chorlton is expected to get very few of the extra 100,000 people between now and 2027. High-density development is deemed to be appropriate only within the district centre. Outside the district centres priority will be given to family housing, where it meets the needs of elderly people or where it adds to the stock of affordable housing.

The strategy document, plus comments can be viewed here.

Keep Chorlton Interesting are also opposing the huge Tesco planned for Old Trafford. Below is the content of an email which Debbie Ellen of KCI has sent out to supporters:

“We need people who live in Manchester City Council's area to formally request that the Local Authority object to the planning application to build a 166,857 sq. ft store as part of the re-development of the LCCC ground.   [planning application number: 74393/FULL/2009]

You'll have seen a few messages relating to this recently, and I'd only stress how vital it is for independent traders in Chorlton and elsewhere that this store does not go ahead.  If you feel its too big a fight, then don't be put off - residents of Kirkby managed to stop a similar development going ahead in their town (a link between a massive Tesco and a new ground for Everton). 

During the last round on this site (2004-2006) Manchester City Council did oppose the application for a smaller store - so its hard to see why they won't come out and oppose it again.

In 2005 Peter Babb, head of planning wrote: "it would appear that the size of the proposed out of centre store, the potential large element of comparison goods provided and its close proximity to the district centres of Chorlton and Hulme, present a threat to the vitality and viability of these centres, in particular Chorlton."

If they were concerned about the impact on local centres of a store that was 88,095 sq, ft in size why would they think that one that is almost double that size is going to be OK???  The comparison goods element of this proposed store is 5026 sq. m or  54,099 sq. ft - larger than the convenience (food etc) element [4282 sq.m or 46,091 sq. ft]

What we'd like people to do is to write to their local councillor, and ask them to raise this issue within the Council. It needs to be done swiftly, because the application will be considered in February, and we all know how long it can take for things to happen in local government!

You can find the email address for your local councillor here

Even if you know that your Councillor wants the Council to object, please write an email to them - the more of you who do the stronger their case will be.

Please quote the planning application number: 74393/FULL/2009 (and if you remember, cc your email to this address).

It would also be great if you objected personally - you don't have to be a Trafford resident to do this. You can find information at no mega tesco

Thanks for your time.”

Friends of Chorlton Meadows (not to be confused with the Save Chorlton Meadows campaign) run conservation events; the nest one is:

Sunday 10th January 2010 - start 10.30 am until around 4 pm (but no obligation to stay all day)

Scrub Clearance around Ponds on Chorlton Ees

Meet: Chorlton Ees car park

Note: The ponds on Chorlton Ees are surrounded by small trees and scrub – they need to be opened up a bit to let more light in (and less leaves).