The short answer is NO!

At a recent Trafford Executive Committee meeting (11^th December 2023), the leader of the Council introduced their report about performance against the Council’s Corporate Plan, 2023/24.

On the positive side, the Council has a wide range of responsibilities and there are areas for which Officers and Elected Members should be congratulated but ………..

the report highlights (paragraph 1.6) that

“The priorities for 2021-2024 are described as ‘better health, better jobs, greener future’ as outlined below:

Reducing Health Inequalities
Working with people, communities and partners, particularly in deprived areas, to improve the physical and mental health of our residents.
Supporting people out of poverty
Tackling the root causes to prevent people from falling into poverty and raising people out of it.
Addressing our Climate Crisis
Leading the way in our region’s response, reducing our carbon footprint and tackling the impact of climate change”.

So, how does the New Carrington Allocation fit with those priorities?

It contradicts each of them!

Reducing Health Inequalities:

Carrington Moss currently provides deprived communities with a huge area of free to access green space, which will no longer be available due to the proposed development of 5,000 homes, 350,000 m2 warehousing and the plans for 4 major new roads. The moss currently has:

• almost no traffic, so no air, noise, light, vibration or water pollution – fresh air to breathe (for both humans and wildlife), a peaceful environment for those with anxieties or other wellbeing issues, an area where you can hear and see red listed birds and other endangered wildlife, encouraging outdoor activities and hobbies that improve the health of local people

• local residents participate in a number of sporting and recreational activities on Carrington Moss, including those professional athletes and children attending the Manchester United or Sale Rugby training grounds, the horse riders who use many of the circular routes (there are over 1,000 horses stabled on or around the moss) and the walkers, cyclists, bird watchers, nature spotters, photographers, artists ….  the list goes on!

Supporting people out of poverty:

• in the plans for the area, there is only one transport option being funded and prioritised – and that is a new road!  So, those in transport poverty (and there are many in the local area who cannot afford to run a car) will have no benefits from this allocation (Trafford itself describes the area as currently having poor public transport provision)

• furthermore, the only job opportunities being provided by the allocation are warehousing, which is very limiting in terms of both career choices and wages

• and those currently working in the rural economy in the area (and their supply chains) will have their job or volunteer opportunities decimated or eliminated entirely!

Addressing the Climate Crisis:

• the current habitats on Carrington Moss are essential to support the mitigation of climate change and the achievement of Trafford (and the region’s) carbon neutral ambition

• these habitats include the 335 hectares of peat moss itself (which can be restored to capture and store huge volumes of carbon), Grade 2 agricultural land (which is perfect for growing crops to support the food security of current and future generations), large areas of woodland (which again are a great carbon store and provide shelter and food for the red listed birds and endangered wildlife) and wetlands (which capture and store huge volumes of surface water, that will have to be directed elsewhere when the area is concreted over

• there are also a number of sites of biological importance and sites of special scientific interest on and around Carrington Moss, these are extremely important for conservation and nature’s recovery.

In addition to all of these benefits, Carrington Moss also has fantastic historical value.  Obviously, the peat has been forming for thousands of years, horses have been ridden over the moss since medieval times, the Victorians used it for dumping night soil and waste (the remnants of the train tracks remain) and, in the Second World War, it was used as a decoy bombing site to save the centre of Manchester.  As typical flat peatland terrain, it also boasts expansive views (you can see the hills over 20 miles away on a clear day).  Imagine the future, with those views changed to HGVs thundering down the planned new road and 22m warehouses blotting out everything else in the landscape!

Paragraph 1.9 of the Council’s report confirms that a “new Corporate Plan is expected for July 2024”.  Given the Places for Everyone Plan significantly reduces the protections brought in by the 2012 Core Strategy, ignores the advice of Natural England and unnecessarily decimates the largest natural capital asset in Trafford, can we expect a similar weakening of Trafford’s future corporate plan priorities? 

Time will tell!

PS The Greater Manchester Combined Authority has published the responses to the Places For Everyone modifications consultation, our friends at Steady State Manchester have included the link in their short blog, available here.

PPS The Friends of Carrington Moss are working with other Greater Manchester groups to determine the next steps in our campaign to prioritise brownfield development across the region (and let’s face it, there is a lot of brownfield land that could be used, and GM has received significant public funding to regenerate it)!  We’ll keep you updated as more information becomes available.