PLANS FOR SALFORD TO BECOME PART OF THE ATLANTIC GATEWAY APPROVED

Plans for the Port of Salford – a hugh distribution zone forming part of the Atlantic Gateway and part of the redevelopment strategy for the North West – have been approved.

The scheme centering on the corridor between Greater Manchester and Merseyside from property giant Peel L&P dates back to 2009 when permission for Port Salford, including 154,500 square metres of warehousing, highways, a new rail link and a wharf for cargo shipping was first given the green light.

However, the company has amended the proposals with the updated plan also including extending a grass runway at City Airport [formerly Barton Aerodrome] into small area of green belt.

The scheme involves the construction of two berths on the Manchester Ship Canal, a 17 hectare ‘multi-modal’ terminal, parking for 540 cars and 530 lorries alongside a new junction onto the A57.

Salteye Brook will also be rerouted and strengthening works will be carried to the ship cannal. 

Meanwhile, a new north-south branch line will connect Port Salford to the Manchester-Liverpool railway line, although the eastern one of two chords in the original scheme has been dropped. A bridge will take the rail line across the A57 Liverpool Road.

Construction of the rail link is due to begin soon.

Councillors have also agreed to the Western Gateway Infrastructure Scheme which includes the construction of a new link road between the A57 Liverpool Road and Trafford Way and junction 10 of the M60 – enabling traffic to bypass Peel Green and providing a new crossing over the Ship Canal east of the M60 Barton Bridge.

In order to enable the amendments to the rail link, the alignment of the ‘Eccles Definitive Footpath 28’ will be altered to follow the easter boundary of the airport.

The plans were approved without comment from councillors and no objections have been raised against the scheme.