Empress Conservation Area Regeneration Plan (CARP)

The below imagery also provides further context to the site:

An illustrative masterplan has been prepared which outlines the wider vision for the Empress Site and identifies areas for immediate development opportunities, retrofit and enhancement and potential future development opportunities. The illustrative masterplan is shown in the plan below.

The illustrative masterplan features ‘Six Key Moves’ as summarised below:

1. Enabling Connectivity;
2. Active and Creative Spine;
3. String of Active Public Yards (Pocket Parks);
4. Unlock Development Opportunities;
5. Rejuvenate, activate and celebrate historic assets; and
6. Define a new urban ecosystem

The masterplan incorporates three sites across the wider CARP with feasibility options prepared for each Site by Donald Insall. The central Empress Site (Site 2) forms the basis of this SMT exercise. The individual sites are summarised as follows:

Site 1:

The feasibility option prepared by Donald Insall looked at the Site that fronts Chester Road as an option for immediate redevelopment and has informed the indicative masterplan prepared by LDA. It is anticipated that new build residential townhouses or mansion block of flats could be proved in this location with Donald Insall’s options appraisal identifying potential for 9 – 19 residential units on this site.

Site 1 Option 1: Source: Donald Insall Feasibility Option

Site 2:

The Site which forms the basis of the development appraisal seeks to introduce new build residential uses within the masterplan via townhouses and mansion flat blocks along with new build apartments with active commercial uses located on the ground floor of the apartment blocks to provide key active frontages within the masterplan area along with potential amenity space.

Site 2: Source: Donald Insall Feasibility Option

The masterplan also looks to refurbish existing buildings within the central site as well as seek to retain key facades (Trafford Press building) to preserve the architectural character and historic fabric of important buildings along Chester Road.

Within the central site, it is anticipated through the illustrative masterplan that there will be a total of approximately 93 no. new build residential units which will consist of a scale between 2.5 – 6 storey buildings. Moreover, there will be approximately 126 residential units provided in existing buildings that are to be refurbished for residential uses. In total it is anticipated that 219 residential units can be accommodated on the central site within the wider masterplan.

The below figure also provides an initial feasibility study of site 2 along with an indicative accommodation schedule prepared by Donald Insall Architects.

Site 3:

Site 3 includes the south-western section of the masterplan area and identifies the area between Stretford Road, Nuttal Street and Chester Road as an immediate opportunity for redevelopment. The feasibility option suggests that new build apartments (and commercial ground floor uses) and residential townhouses could be provided in this location (approximately 71 residential units).

Site 3: Source: Donald Insall Feasibility Option

Trafford Council see this location as a key regeneration area for the borough. As such, LSH has undertaken background research on benchmark planning permissions for residential and commercial development within the surrounding vicinity of the CARP Site. The figure below signals that there has been a strong appetite and interest for medium to high-rise residential development within proximity of the Empress CA, most notably along the key route of Chester Road through the construction of high density apartment blocks which offer modern and high-quality living and amenity spaces on the fringes of Manchester City Centre. There is a clear opportunity to provide a similar nature development at the Site which seeks to makes use of the Site’s sustainable transport links with Cornbrook tram station.

The policy context is key for sites like this. With the recently adopted Places for Everyone seeking to maximise the use of brownfield land and urban spaces, there is a clear opportunity for a high-quality development to be delivered at the Site to follow on from Trafford’s other relevant regeneration strategies such as the Civic Quarter Area Action Plan, Cornbrook Hub Regeneration Framework and the Trafford Wharfside Development Framework.

If you have any further clarifications or queries, then please get in contact with a member of our team on the details below.