“Many towns and local authorities have been waiting for the Portas Review to come up with answers to how they can revive their ailing high street. Not Altrincham!,” comments Caroline Baker, Director in the Development Consulting team at DTZ in Manchester.
“Trafford Council and its partners have been busy now for over a year identifying a range of strategies to support the transformation of Altrincham town centre. The Portas Review identified 28 recommendations for Central Government, local authorities, landlords and retailers. Trafford Council and its Partners are already delivering many of the recommendations that they can influence, along with other initiatives to support the town’s vitality.
- These include:
The creation of Altrincham Forward in 2010 – a public-private partnership led by Matt Colledge, Leader of the Council and including key town centre stakeholders that are working collectively to make a difference in the town. They have agreed a common vision, strategic objectives and action plan to ensure that Altrincham fulfills its potential - Working closely with market traders and other partners to transform Altrincham Market. This has resulted in the introduction of an number of specialist markets as well as improvements for the regular stallholders
- Getting the basics right – the Council is committed to ensuring that the streets are clean, buildings well kept and the town is safe
- The extension of the existing events calendar to ensure that more shoppers and visitors are attracted to the town
There is still a lot to do but action has begun and importantly the town has a number of key advantages that it is harnessing to fulfill its potential.
“You may have read some of the shock headlines over the last year or so about Altrincham town centre, in particular about high retail vacancy rates. Although it is acknowledged that there are currently a high number of voids, a number of these were tied up with the decision for the relocation of Altrincham General Hospital. The decision was finally made in July 2011 and development will commence in 2012 on Railway Street. The redevelopment of the former Grafton Tower into a 91 bed Travelodge is underway and independents’ offering high quality goods and services continue to open.”
Caroline states: “Altrincham is in an enviable position and has a number of significant assets many other towns in the north can only dream about. These include:
- Strategic location – the town has good connections by road, rail, tram and air and is well positioned between the economic driver of Manchester city centre and affluent rural Cheshire
- Significant recent and proposed investments – including the first phases of the Stamford Quarter, the indoor market hall, with further proposals for development at Altair, investment in the transport interchange and the redevelopment of Altrincham General Hospital
- Strong existing leisure offer – Greater Manchester’s only year-round ice rink, a multiplex cinema, a health and fitness centre, parks providing open space and Altrincham Festival. The Garrick Theatre and nearby Dunham Massey add to Altrincham’s wider leisure offer
- A highly skilled workforce – in terms of formal qualifications, type of employment and levels of entrepreneurship
- High quality of life – attractive and popular place to live, offering good homes (achieving prices not that dissimilar to London in some cases!), schools, green parks and transport connections resulting in an affluent catchment population
- Culture and heritage assets – Altrincham has five town centre Conservation Areas and a number of attractive, high-quality period architecture buildings
She adds: “By ‘joining up’ and leveraging these assets to their best advantage, there is potential for Altrincham to reconnect with, and cater more effectively for, the local community and to become a more distinctive centre with an improved quality of offer, particularly in retail terms. By establishing itself as an experience rather than a functional location, Altrincham has an opportunity to improve its profile and reposition people’s perceptions of the Town. Altrincham Forward wants to work with the private sector and wishes to engage with partners who share their vision for the town.”
“So next time you visit Altrincham look out for the positive changes that are being delivered in the town and enjoy what it has to offer or think about how you can play a role in its ongoing transformation!”