Greater Manchester planning applications submitted to councils this week- including upgrade to Etihad Stadium path

Improved infrastructure for sports players and fans is the theme within the planning applications submitted to councils this week.

In east Manchester the ‘Citylink’ path, originally designed for the Commonwealth Games in 2002, has been touted for improvement. The plans state this is to contend with the larger footfall brought about by the increased capacity planned for the Etihad stadium and Co-op Live opening.

On the edge of the Greater Manchester region in Mossley, a new sports facility has been tabled at the back of a glass manufacturing warehouse. The space is currently unused and would become the new home of an indoor football pitch and cricket nets for the use of the general public, if approved.

Here is a breakdown of each borough’s submitted planning applications this week.

Bolton

No new significant planning applications have been submitted to Bolton Council this week. The planning applications submitted relate to smaller scale plans such as housing extensions and modifications of already approved plans.

Bury

Communication hubs set for Bury town centre will include phone charging points and defibrillators ‘Communication hubs’ including defibrillators and phone charging ports are set to be installed at three spots in Bury town centre. Planning permission is being sought to put the hubs at Haymarket Street and outside the Rock and Millgate shopping centres.

The units offer free calls to landlines and range of functions that include free Wi-Fi, a 32-inch touch screen with access to local web pages, a publicly accessible defibrillator and both USB and wireless device charging ports. 

Manchester 

A key walking route from Manchester’s largest venues to the city centre will be upgraded. The ‘Citylink’ path was built for the 2002 Commonwealth Games to connect the then-41,000-seat athletics arena to the heart of the city, but soon many more fans will use the route than it was designed for. 

That’s because Manchester City hope to expand the Etihad from its already-enlarged capacity of 53,000 as a football stadium, and Co-op Live is set to open with a 23,000-person capacity in the next few months next door. The newly improved path, from the stadia to the Holt Town tram stop, will be lined with ‘interactive lighting installations, busking spots for performances by local musical talent, and pop-up food and drink stalls’, the duo say.

Oldham

There were no major planning applications submitted to Oldham Council this week. Applications concerned extensions on private homes and the erection of a telephone pole.

Rochdale

Old town centre workshop to be replaced by new fabrication unit The workshop of Salt Separation Services Ltd in Rochdale town centre could soon be replaced by a brand new unit. 

The current site located at the junction of Hurst Street and Fletcher Street would be demolished and replaced with a new fabrication workshop separated from the other units. The other spaces would continue to be utilised by other businesses such as Iron Body and  Fitness Gym away from the workshop.

A plan for a telecommunications monopole in the Castleton area has been proposed by Icon Tower Infrastructure Ltd. The 30m high tower, if approved by Rochdale Council, would be erected off Maltings Lane and provide better mobile phone connectivity for the area, plans have claimed. This application forms part of a UK-wide plan to improve connectivity for the growing demand of mobile phone users.

Salford

Plans shared for new apartment block with shops and cafe in Salford. Plans have been shared for a new apartment block in Salford with shops and a cafe on the ground floor. 

The site, at 51 to 59 Liverpool Road in Irlam, could get 32 new homes made up of six two-bed duplex apartments and 26 one bedroom apartments. 

It could include three spaces for businesses, which are likely to become shops as well as a cafe and deli, and a landmark clock tower feature as part of the building design. At the back of the land, space for 17 cars has been included in the proposals, and cycle parking for up to 30 bikes in a secured area.

Stockport

A plan to build more than 80 new homes in Hazel Grove has restarted after a long delay.

The council gave the green light for a new housing development on land off Melford Road in 2019 but the scheme stopped abruptly when a company working on the project went bust in February 2022. Stockport Homes has now managed to get the project back up and running.

Tameside

A glass manufacturer is seeking to transform their unused space into a sports facility for football and cricket. Poesia Property Holdings have submitted an application for five cricket lanes alongside a football pitch for small-sided games at their Mossley site. The Waggon Road site would work under the R-Kix Performance Centre brand, providing year-round sports facilities for the general public. The Poesia Glass Studio would remain in operation at the front of the site.

Trafford

A planning application has been submitted to convert the upper two floors above a cafe into two self-contained apartments in the centre of Altrincham. The Rhode Island Coffee building on George Street and is in the George Street Conservation area which has been placed on the ‘heritage at risk’ register by Historic England. 

A heritage statement from the applicant, Raj Ruia, reads: “The building dates between 1852 and 1876. It is classical in style and typically Georgian, albeit Victorian in period with ashlar window surrounds.” It says the upper floors of the building are currently vacant.

Plans to convert the first floor of a ‘family art cafe’ in Sale into three apartments have been submitted to Trafford council’s planning team. The space at the Bean and Brush Cafe on Hayfield Street has been used as a pottery workshop. 

If approved, the development will include a new mezzanine floor, alterations to the roof shape and new side access steps along with the creation of bin and bike stores. The applicant is Graham Starling whose address on the application form is the same as the cafe.

Wigan

No new significant planning applications have been submitted to Wigan Council this week. 

The planning applications submitted relate to smaller scale plans such as housing extensions and modifications of already approved plans.