Old Trafford & Stretford
Trafford's Places
Old Trafford and Stretford
Old Trafford and Stretford are predominantly residential areas to the north east of the Borough. This distinctive inner-urban location is closely associated with Manchester City Centre, Salford Quays, and Trafford Park as well as the neighbouring neighbourhoods of Whalley Range and Chorlton to the east.
Unlike other residential areas in Trafford there is no one defined central area, rather a series of smaller centres combine to serve the townscape. This leads to a distinct “tapestry” like 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 smaller neighbourhoods and communities gathering around each local place.
Old Trafford and Stretford is one of the most accessible locations in Greater Manchester with roads, Metrolink and rail providing excellent connections into Manchester City Centre, as well providing easy access out to the southern parts of Trafford. The proximity to surrounding employment and leisure hubs provides significant opportunities for high quality sustainable pedestrian and cycle links throughout the area.
Old Trafford is home to two internationally recognised sporting arenas, Old Trafford Cricket Ground and Old Trafford Football Ground, and the Civic Quarter Area. This, alongside large commercial blocks along Chester Road, creates a distinctive and varied form in the area.
Old Trafford and Stretford urban form is typically characterised by a tight-knit network of streets laid out in historic gridiron patterns. This is punctuated with parks and open spaces which serve each local neighbourhood. The area is dissected by the A56 corridor which provides a focus for historic and current commercial activity. This also includes Talbot and Chester Roads which contain a number of examples of exceptional 19th and early 20th century architecture.
Beyond the core historic and commercial areas, the 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 becomes more spacious and suburban. Particularly to the west of Stretford, where it begins to share townscape characteristics with neighbouring Urmston, Flixton and Davyhulme, including wider streets and avenues lined with 1930s and 1940s semi-detached homes.
Evolution
Local Character Areas
- Within Old Trafford and Stretford there are a number of sub-character areas where local characteristics in the urban form and landscape are identifiable.
- For example, there are a large number of streets within the Old Trafford and Gorse Hill areas where the Victorian terrace form is prevalent, leading to dense residential neighbourhoods. Amongst these neighbourhoods are formal parks and high street parades which provide amenities for local residents. Around these well-preserved historic streets are areas of 1930s and 1940s semi-detached housing estates in their typical style.
- In the area surrounding Longford Park it is more common to see lower density Victorian and Edwardian housing set in tree lined streets. Whilst in Stretford there is a variety of building forms including a few remaining historic public buildings and parades of shops surrounded by a variety of Victorian and Edwardian terraces. Stretching to the west are larger planned estates of 1930s and 1940s semi-detached housing which borders Urmston.
- The Civic Quarter is a focus for leisure, entertainment and commercial activity including the globally recognised Old Trafford cricket ground, whilst Old Trafford football ground sits just outside the Civic Quarter boundary. Despite widespread redevelopment in the second half of the twentieth century, there are notable surviving examples of historic commercial buildings and Victorian villas. It also hosts the administrative centre for the Borough at Trafford Town Hall, a fine example of a Neo-classical public building in Trafford.
- The Wharfside and Pomona areas have a historic industrial 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, being closely associated with the Manchester Ship Canal. Here, rare examples of historic industrial buildings in Trafford can be found as well other commercial buildings of note.
