Trafford Council are proposing to build 750 Houses on Flixton Green Belt as part of the Greater Manchester Authority Spatial Awareness Strategy.  

They are proposing to take the following land OUT of green belt status:-
1) The Flixton Road side of The William Wroe golf course. (and reclassify for residential purposes then build 750 houses on it)
2) Flixton Playing Field including 7 football pitches.
3) Flixton Park.
4) The grade 2 Listed Flixton House Building, walled gardens and neighbouring play area.
To put this in perspective the last time the green belt boundaries were redrawn was 1984.
The last time the Trafford local plan was changed is 2013 (specifically land allocation plans ) and now again three years later in 2016.

IMPACT ON LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE

The pressure that would be placed on local public services such as schools, GP’s surgeries and Trafford General Hospital – (this has already lost its A&E facilities and has been down-graded to a walk-in centre) – would be hugely increased - all these facilities are already struggling to cope with the present demand.

Public transport cannot cope with current pressures and demands and the rail service already has capacity issues and only offers limited services at the weekends. As for the roads - they are completely overwhelmed on a daily basis and simply cannot cope with the current traffic volume – since the building of the Trafford Centre, its subsequent expansion, the Chill Factore, Event City, a large DIY superstore, three Premier Inns, the Sealife Centre and goodness knows what else, it has become a nightmare. Due to the daily situation on the M60, many commuters use Warburton Bridge to cross the Manchester Ship Canal which has in itself resulted in a lot of extra traffic travelling through Flixton.

IMPACT ON NATURE

This proposed development would have a detrimental effect on nature as it would involve felling hundreds of beautiful trees and would destroy wildlife habitats at a time when so many species are under threat.

IMPACT ON HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

Without doubt, my biggest concern and objection is because a much loved and much used green community resource would be destroyed. In a densely populated urban area the importance of public greenspace is immeasurable as it has a profound effect on people’s health and wellbeing which should not be underestimated. Large industrial areas, power stations and the second most congested motorway network in the UK all surround this area and it is vitally important that our community not only retains its urban green space at the present time but that it is also preserved for many future generations to come.

I would also like to add that the Worthington Wright Estate was bought by Urmston Urban District Council in March 1935 with a loan obtained from the Department of Health. The loan was agreed on the strict proviso that the land was to be used as follows:-
Allotments 17 1/2 acres
Housing 14 1/4 acres
Open GreenSpace 186 1/4 acres.

Urmston Urban District Council confirmed in their council minutes, copies of which I hold, that the land was secured, FOR ALL TIME, for the residents of Flixton, Urmston and Davyhulme. Does the passage of time mean that this covenant between the council and the people now stands for nothing?