EXCLUSIVE – Supermarket saga is ended by Council recommending a “mixed use'” option for the Sale Moor Warrener Street Car Park site

After months of deliberation and consultation the saga of the Sale Moor Warrener Street Car Park looks like defeat for those who wanted to see a supermarket built on the site.

Sale Today can exclusively reveal that the Council’s preferred development option is for  “mixed use”development.

All will be revealed at a public “drop in” session on January 31st.

But a Council spokesperson said today:” The preferred option, details of which will be unveiled at the drop in event, is for a mixed use scheme.

“This option has been developed having taken all the comments and views of those who took part in the consultation exercise into account.”

Christine Houlding from the We Are Sale Moor Action Group, who have been leading the resistance to plans for a supermarket to be built on the site, said today:”That’s amazing news. We are very happy that the public have voted for the proposal that was based on We Are Sale Moor’s request to retain the land for mixed use. This is inkeeping with the desire to retain a car park and small independent business, which will still bring footfall to the village without negative impact on other local traders.”

Trafford Council’s planning committee, granted planning permission for a supermarket to be built on the site  last year.  The controversial plans were opposed by hundreds of people from the Sale Moor Community.  The Council actually owns the site and embarked on a public consultation, bringing in consultants, Cushman and Wakefield, who produced several options for the future use of the site.

“As a publicly owned asset the Council must ensure that development of the car park site achieves best value in both financial and socio-economic terms. Towards this aim, Cushman & Wakefield has now completed an independent Options and Feasibility Study on behalf of Trafford Council to inform and determine the site’s future potential. ”

We Are SaLe Moor Group were hoping that the option for “mixed use” would be favoured. “That provides mixed use –  possibly for a GP surgery, a community convenience store, and some housing, with a smaller car park,” said Christine.

Two previous public consultations in September and November 2016 have helped to inform the Study, with local people revealing their key aspirations and concerns for the future of the site and wider village, and providing feedback on a range of potential development options. The feedback received at the consultation sessions have been an integral part of the Study and have helped to shape the final recommendations for the future of the Warrener Street Car Park site.

The Council is inviting the public to the “drop-in” at a local school, where all will be revealed: “Local residents and businesses of Sale Moor are invited to view the summary findings and preferred development option for the Warrener Street Car Park site at a public drop-in event at Lime Tree Primary Academy on Tuesday 31^st January between 4.45pm and 6.45 pm.