Thursday, August 9, 2012

Manchester Airport unveils plans to concrete former greenbelt land with 'World Logistics Hub'

Manchester Airport has announced plans to concrete over former greenbelt land around Sunbank Lane to make way for a 'World Logistics Hub'.  The area is currently home to residential houses and greenfields and also borders onto Cotterill Clough - a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Proposals to build on former greenbelt land
The plans involve the construction of around 43 warehouses and office units of various sizes on land adjacent to the A538, as well as 1,473 carparking spaces, 134 bike parking spaces and a re-landscaped green zone.   The plans form part of the wider Airport City Enterprise Zone.  More details can be found here: http://www.airportcity.co.uk/master-plan/world-logistics-hub/#

The Airport 'anticipate' that 1800 jobs will be created over a 15 year period.  However, a report on the wider Airport City proposals in Autumn 2011 by the Campaign to Protect Rural England found that many of these job creation projections actually involved displacing pre-existing jobs from elsewhere in Manchester, as firms relocate to take advantage of the cheap business rates on offer.

The land around Sunbank Lane was recently taken out of the Greenbelt in Manchester City Council's 'Core Strategy' which was approved in July 2012.  Many residents say they were not informed or consulted of these plans.  Audrey O'Donovan said,  "As a resident and chairman of Ringway Parish Council I am appalled at the lack of consultation by Manchester Airport when removing Oak Farm and surrounding area out of the green belt and changing the planning status enabling them to once again encroach on our countryside. All in the name of so called progress. What concerns me is the World Logistics Hub as they have called this latest expansion will expand to the other side of the A538 spreading their operations still further into our very small Parish of Ringway."

Plans for a World Logistics Hub to the south west of Manchester Airport

The Airport have published an 'informal' consultation document with images of the plans.   They say they intend to submit a formal planning application to Manchester City Council at some point in August 2012.  Objectors will have 21 days of formal consultation period to submit their views upon registration of the application.
A view of the area as it is now
Stop Expansion at Manchester Airport organised a 'Biodiversity Walk' around the affected site in May 2010.  Shortly after local activists blockaded the current World Freight Centre and staged an airside protest around the wheel of Monarch Airline jet against plans to expand the airport and demolish local homes. 

4 comments:

  1. From my opinion, I not for its expansion; since the airport is enough to accommodate air traffic,. Expanding it will only displace homeowners who reside nearby in its periphery.

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  2. This is stupid. That area is so nice and peaceful. Where are the families going to move to?! The airport is big enough already! You don't need to go and ruin the environment and area anymore than you already have!

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  3. Nothing whatsoever to do with airport capacity etc. Just straightforward property development. Wrong that City Council is able to in effect give itself permission (as it will). Cargo centre and runway 2 offered jobs bonanzas but are unemployment rates in nearby Wythenshawe any lower than before either of those?

    A chance for LibDems to show they don't always roll over?

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  4. Thanks for sharing the nice information. Manchester Airport have already enough space.Then Why?. I can't understamd.
    Airport Transport UK
    Thanks.

    ReplyDelete