PLANS for a racecourse complex on green belt land outside Salford have been rejected by the Government.
The Salford Forest Park development near Worsley was to include a hotel, nature reserve and golf course to be built by Peel Holdings.
But the £100m plan was opposed by the city council on the grounds it would increase noise and traffic and destroy green belt land.
The whole scheme was then called in for further examination and has been rejected by Communities Minister John Denham.
Councillor Derek Antrobus, lead member for planning at Salford City Council, said: “Whilst the council’s planning panel always recognised that Peel’s proposals offered some economic and social benefits to Salford, it also recognised that the location of the scheme, lying in the green belt, posed some particular difficulties, as by definition, most development in the green belt is deemed to be harmful.
“The Inspector and the Secretary of State clearly shared these concerns and have found that harm outweighs any benefits in this case and have accordingly dismissed the appeal.”
Racecourse plans rejected
January 14, 2010
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The Salford Forest Park development near Worsley was to include a hotel, nature reserve and golf course to be built by Peel Holdings.
Showing comments 1 to 25 and replies | View All
Almighty God, Salford - vote Green (14/01/2010 at 17:03)
The Truth (14/01/2010 at 17:08)
gortonian, gorton (14/01/2010 at 17:27)
A Manc and blue (14/01/2010 at 17:29)
FrostySnowman (14/01/2010 at 17:39)
StanF, Leigh (14/01/2010 at 17:48)
Melandra (14/01/2010 at 17:58)
Algernon Blabbermouth, eccles (14/01/2010 at 18:00)
broughton blue, salford (14/01/2010 at 18:35)
AngusDangus, Salford (14/01/2010 at 18:36)
Malcolm Amersham (14/01/2010 at 18:41)
andy waytomakeacomment, Greater Manchester (14/01/2010 at 19:05)
marcus, salford (14/01/2010 at 19:31)
Officer Dibble, On the lash with Choo-Choo and Benny. (14/01/2010 at 20:20)
Judge Dredd, Manchester (14/01/2010 at 21:12)
Mad Welsh Scotsman, Cadishead (14/01/2010 at 21:24)
No if's, and, or Buts , IRLAM (14/01/2010 at 22:13)
Hiswasp, Local (14/01/2010 at 22:46)
Ace Riley, outsidethebox (14/01/2010 at 23:13)
Ace Riley, outsidethebox (14/01/2010 at 23:15)
Yes belle vue was a mistake by the greedy council,manchester missed a great oportunity when MCC decided to demolish belle vue.
Hiswasp, Local (14/01/2010 at 23:21)
Piccadilly Dog, Beswick (15/01/2010 at 07:19)
Mark, South Manchester (15/01/2010 at 11:19)
But then again, New Labour have done their best to put "too ambitious" Manchester in its place, since they came to power. They initially tried to scupper the completion of the M60; they've tried their best to scupper the expansion of Metrolink; they blocked the supercasino; they would have blocked Manchester's 2nd runway and the Trafford Centre given the chance; they were initially very reluctant to pay for the Commonwealth Games; no new roads in Greater Manchester (MAELR etc) have been built since they came to power; Manchester now misses out on major lottery funding; and heck then there's the railways!!!
Yes John Major's Tories did far more for Manchester's INFRASTRUCTURE than New Labour, who have only been interested in making London a world city!! (New Labour also reconstituted a Greater London Authority with its own mayor - but pathetically wouldn't do the same for Greater Manchester.) New Labour have been a "disaster" for Greater Manchester!
Athertonian (15/01/2010 at 11:57)
We already have racecourses at Haydock (only a 15-minute drive from the proposed site at Worsley) and Aintree - unless Mark is of the persuasion that everything of signficance in the North West must have an M postcode. The right decision has been made.
CityCntr (15/01/2010 at 12:34)
Salford council are happy to take credit for Media City being developed in Salford, however that would not be possible without the finance from Peel. The councils achievements over the past 20 years, outside of the Quays has been abismal. Salford has been left with huge swathes of urban decay created in a time of economic boom, god help us during this time of depression. To then refuse a massive injection of investment at this time is crazy.
The fact that the most expensive properties in Salford and thereore the most wealthy residents live in this area has, in my opinion, had at least something to do with it. Had his been planned for Lower Broughton, Blackfriars or Weast the locals opinions would have counted for nothing.