MEDICAL PRACTICES FINALLY MOVE INTO THE ALTRINCHAM HUB
At long last – the Altrincham Health and Wellbeing Centre is being used as it was originally intended.
St Johns Medical Practice moved in last Monday 4th November 2019, the centre’s first medical tenant. Barrington Medical Practice will move in on Monday 11th November 2019.
Read the full story on the Altrincham Today website CLICK HERE
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NEW ALTRINCHAM LIBRARY SUCCESS
Sarah Curran, Head of Customer Service, Trafford Council reports that they have been very pleased with how busy the library has been since moving. The latest figures are that there has been a 24% increase in the number of books borrowed and a 30% increase in the number of people visiting the library.
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PUBLICATION OF THE GREATER MANCHESTER SPACIAL FRAMEWORK has been delayed until January 2020.
The next draft will include more public consultations towards the middle of 2020. The framework is intended to set guidelines for the development of the Greater Manchester over the next 20 years. The first draft of the Framework was published in 2016, with the latest draft outlining Green Belt release and a plan to build a minimum of 201,000 new homes across Greater Manchester’s 10 boroughs, alongside 65m sq ft of employment space; a consultation on the plans followed soon after.
The Greater Manchester Combined Authority stated the reason for the delay is to “allow for a period of deeper engagement with local communities and other stakeholders in light of the number of detailed and considered public responses received”. The delay will not affect the house building around Carrington and Carrington Moss.
The GMCA has received 27,000 responses to the first draft and 18,000 responses to the second draft and needs more time to consider all feedback properly and factor it into the next redraft.
Despite the delay, the GMCA reiterated the existing framework was “the best proposal for implementing future housing and infrastructure needs fairly across the city region”.
The GMCA has been attempting to convince Whitehall officials to change legislation to allow the GMSF to be able to release Green Belt but this has been met government reluctance.
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SOCIETY SUPPORTS TBC HAZ FUNDING APPLICATION
Altrincham and Bowdon Civic Society is very pleased to be able to support Trafford Council’s Heritage Action Zone Funding application for George Street Conservation Area which will include proposals for public realm improvements and the Grafton Centre. The Council is much to be commended for its up to date conservation area appraisals and management plans where we were a major consultee.
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VISTORIAN SOCIETY Buildings at risk
Altrincham and Bowdon Civic Society has been contacted by Victorian Society about their annual Buildings at Risk project. Watling Gate in Timperley given by Colonel Newton and situated in Newton Park, would be an obvious candidate. It is very poorly maintained and hard work by local residents has yet to save it. It is listed as Arts and Crafts.
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COMMEMORATIVE BLUE PLAQUE FOR
Captain Sir John William “Jack” Alcock KBE DSC
Following a request from Altrincham and Bowdon Civic Society a blue plaque has been agreed for
Captain Sir John William Alcock on the centenary of the first Atlantic flight. He was born at Basford House on the old Stretford Memorial site. This follows the successful request for Bill Speakman VC.
Many thanks to Sara Curran Head of Customer Service TBC and Trafford Council.
Captain Sir John William “Jack” Alcock KBE DSC was a Royal Navy and later Royal Air Force officer who, with navigator Lieutenant Arthur Whitten Brown, piloted the first non-stop transatlantic flight from St. John’s, Newfoundland to Clifden, Connemara, Ireland in June 1919.
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WOODSTOCK PARK BROADHEATH
Woodstock Park in Broadheath is in need of more support and help. The park, sited in the middle of a popular housing estate, is very well designed for typical park users and caters for most age groups. It has an all weather multi-sports pitch, a youth adventure play space, seating and picnic space, and 24 hour access. However the Park has a serious problem with vandalism including a newly installed Trio Bin being destroyed within weeks, a zip wire being stolen and trees uprooted. This is a park in need a supportive Friends group to look after the park now Trafford no longer has the funds to do more than just the basics.
The saddest part of Woodstock Park is the Kiddies Play Area, which is the semi circle with the two green patches in the aerial view of the Park. It is so drab and desperately in need of a repaint. More than half the original equipment has been removed as damaged or unsafe. It is not a place small children would be attracted to play. Given the constraints on budgets there is not the money to invest in replacing play equipment. We need a Friends of Woodstock Park to spearhead campaigns to raise money and obtain grants to completely remake this area. If you feel you are up to the challenge then let us know. The Civic Society will provide as much assistance as we possibly can.
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TACKLING AIR POLLUTION
The A56 passing North-South through our town has a very poor record for air quality. Air pollution has been linked to a range of serious health problems. The Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan aims to tackle nitrogen oxide emissions from the most polluting vehicles.
The GM Clean Air Plan seeks to upgrade the region’s buses, HGVs. Taxis, and van fleets. There will be an expected £116 million behind the upgrade.
More information can be found at cleanairgm.com.
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FRIENDS OF MOOR NOOK PARK
Moor Nook Park is in Sale Moor opposite Sale Moor High School. In two years a neglected park has become a cherished community asset and a focus for community events.
Find out more about how local people decided to make their local green spaces into something they are justifiably proud of https://www.facebook.com/moornookpark/
If you have any comments or suggestions about any of the above, please get in touch via the
CONTACT US page, we would be pleased to hear from you. Or contact your local councillor directly and copy us in.
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