Plans for a new market in Urmston have been approved, despite concerns about the building being ‘ugly’.
The application for Market 41 from Urmston Beverage and Leisure Company Ltd for a three-storey building, including a food and beverage court, market area, children’s play area, office space and 29 hotel rooms, next to the Market Hall on Railway Road was approved by Trafford council’s planning committee.
The plans were the subject of many complaints to the council before the meeting last week, with many nearby residents voicing concerns about the plans’ appearance, accessibility, a lack of parking nearby as well as noise and disturbance from the building.
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One resident wrote: “There remains the blatantly obvious fact that there is nowhere for stall/market staff, hotel clients, cleaners or market customers to park.
“Local parking for residents was already bad when this application was made. Residential streets are regularly blocked, double yellow lines are meaningless [due to lack of enforcement]. If this application is progressed, conditions will get even worse.”
But not all letters to the council were negative about the plans.
One resident wrote: “I think this will be great for Urmston in bringing the community together, bringing in visitors to our area and showing visitors what our town has to offer. It has a great central location with easy access to public transport. I look forward to using Market 41 when finished.”
Council officers recommended the planning committee grant permission for the application last week and the plans were formally approved.
But the decision was not without its difficulties.
Coun Daniel Bunting described the building as ‘bloody ugly’.
He said: “Distinctive is one of those horrendous words in planning, isn’t it. It usually means bloody ugly. And let’s face it, that’s what it means on this occasion. It is pretty damn hideous. I’ve seen some ugly buildings in this planning committee before and I’ve even voted for a few of them because there was no real reason to turn them down.
“But I’d say it’s a good job for the architect that there is no requirement in planning to actually make the building look appealing, because dear gods it’s ugly.”
Coun Bunting did agree with other councillors on the committee, however, that something does need to be done with this area and it needs to be regenerated.
He also agreed that parking problems in the area are substantial and it’s often ‘a living nightmare’ to find space for your car at the weekends there.
Coun Michael Welton, of the Green Party group, said: “I know residents have been looking for a parking scheme from the council for some years and I think that’s the way to address any parking issue. If residents need permit parking, then the council should be addressing that need.
“We shouldn’t be restricting the regeneration of the area because of this requirement that people have to be able to drive to it and have guaranteed parking. I do sympathise with residents and the parking issue, but have this in a lot of places around Trafford. There are simply too many cars and we can’t allow the development of our borough to be held up by this fascination with the motor car.”
The committee voted with a large majority in favour of granting planning permission for the development. Just three councillors, including Coun Bunting, voted against the application.
