Trafford's Places
Altrincham and around
The established and historic market town of Altrincham provides the central focus of the area in the south-eastern corner of the Borough. It includes the surrounding neighbourhoods of Timperley, Bowdon and Hale and is enclosed by the open landscape of Cheshire and Dunham to the south and west, giving its extremities a semi-rural characterCharacter includes all of the elements that go to make a place, how it looks and feels, its geography and landscape, its noises and smells, activity, people and businesses. This character should be understood as a starting point for all development. Character can be understood at three levels; the area type in which the site sits, its surroundings and the features of the site. More. To the north it adjoins Sale.
Altrincham Town Centre has a tight-knit core, and while there has been a loss of historic characterCharacter includes all of the elements that go to make a place, how it looks and feels, its geography and landscape, its noises and smells, activity, people and businesses. This character should be understood as a starting point for all development. Character can be understood at three levels; the area type in which the site sits, its surroundings and the features of the site. More in some areas it is largely well preserved. Moving away from the town centre the urban characterCharacter includes all of the elements that go to make a place, how it looks and feels, its geography and landscape, its noises and smells, activity, people and businesses. This character should be understood as a starting point for all development. Character can be understood at three levels; the area type in which the site sits, its surroundings and the features of the site. More quickly becomes suburban. Particularly notable are the neighbourhoods of Bowdon and Hale Barns with a proliferation of grand detached villa houses that is unique to this part of the Borough. The Broadheath area also contains a significant grouping of industrial buildings, breaking from the surrounding residential characterCharacter includes all of the elements that go to make a place, how it looks and feels, its geography and landscape, its noises and smells, activity, people and businesses. This character should be understood as a starting point for all development. Character can be understood at three levels; the area type in which the site sits, its surroundings and the features of the site. More.
With its attractive town centre,, Altrincham has maintained a degree of economic autonomy and prosperity while also providing a place to live for those commuting to the city centre.
Opportunities exist to encourage sustainable movement through an attractive secondary street network and use of green corridors.
Development Plan Documents
Old Market Place
Stamford New Road
The Downs
Ashley Road
Bowdon
Hale Station
South Hale
Evolution
Local Character Areas
- Altrincham, with its vibrant commercial and cultural centre and traditional market town quarter is Trafford’s principal town centre. Attractive, historic residential areas sit close to the centre;
- Bowdon, a residential village directly adjoining Altrincham. Notable for its concentration of large Victorian villas and mansion houses;
- Hale has its own village centre and high street and alongside Bowdon and Altrincham makes up the core of the area;
- Hale Barns is a residential neighbourhood with a variety of house types but typically large detached properties set in established tree lined streets;
- Timperley has a small village centre and high street and is a low density residential area, comprising mostly of detached and semi-detached post war housing;
- West Timperley is largely residential in characterCharacter includes all of the elements that go to make a place, how it looks and feels, its geography and landscape, its noises and smells, activity, people and businesses. This character should be understood as a starting point for all development. Character can be understood at three levels; the area type in which the site sits, its surroundings and the features of the site. More but includes a successful commercial area centred around Trafford College on the A56 corridor;
- Broadheath is a historically established industrial and commercial estate which included the internationally renowned Linotype Works alongside the Bridgewater Canal. It now includes a popular retail park and emerging new residential communities;
- Timperley Wedge is an open landscape which stretches from the edge of Altrincham town centre towards Manchester Airport providing space for recreation and nature. Major new residential and commercial communities are planned for this area through Places for Everyone;
- The A56 Corridor is an important sub-regional road network that runs through the Borough and terminates south of Altrincham, before connecting with the motorway network. It acts as a window to the Borough and provides opportunities for improved greening and high quality development to advertise Trafford as a place to invest;
- The Bridgewater Canal corridor runs through Broadheath and Oldfield Brow providing a green and blue corridor for residents with links to Dunham Massey and the Cheshire countryside beyond;
- Former railway lines to the west provide strategic recreation corridors and connect with nearby towns.
