The Western Gateway scheme could see thousands of jobs created in the region
According to town hall officials, rebuilding the Old Trafford stadium might serve as a ‘catalyst’ for a massive reconstruction project in Salford.
Proposals to invest millions of pounds and generate thousands of new jobs have sparked local excitement. Council leaders have accepted plans for a new mayoral development zone led by Salford, Trafford, and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.
The Western Gateway development area, including the Liverpool Road and M62 corridors and the Manchester Ship Canal, could benefit Salford by creating over 5,000 jobs and injecting £6.4 million in business rates.
At the most recent town hall meeting in Salford Civic Centre, city mayor Paul Dennett stated: “It wasn’t so long ago that people didn’t want to invest in Greater Manchester. People went to work in the city and then left; there was no evening business. Then people became very interested in GM, and we now have investments.
“It’s not just about the Old Trafford choice or the stadium’s destiny. However, that decision has inadvertently served as a spark for a much larger decision and much more.”
The Western Gateway plans will produce up to 511,000 sq m of new job space, including land at the Salford Community Stadium, which is owned by the municipality and located in Eccles near the M60.
Separately, Trafford Council is considering establishing a mayoral development corporation for Old Trafford and Trafford Wharfside, with the possibility of rebuilding Manchester United’s football stadium in the future.
A crucial component of the western gateway is the usage of Port Salford, a vast distribution facility in the city that can be accessed by ship, road, and rail and has the capacity for five million square feet of logistical floor space.
Regarding the following steps, Mr Dennett stated: “On the current line between Liverpool and Manchester, there is an absolute need for a new station at Old Trafford and Media City. At the moment, you must enter Manchester before exiting to access Media City and Old Trafford.
“In my opinion, that is not an effective method of providing integrated public transportation. This will drag the regeneration potential along the ship canal, to our Salford Community Stadium, and finally to Port Salford.
“What we know is that the thing stifling growth is a lack of infrastructure investment, whether in roads or trains. “I believe this is a precursor to something extremely exciting.”This could eventually become a global hub for sports, leisure, and entertainment.”
The city mayor saw investment in roads and trains as crucial to realizing the scheme’s full potential.
This could include new road infrastructure for Port Salford and Trafford Waters, increased rail capacity at Port Salford, improved transport connections to Eccles town centre, and changes to the larger road network.
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