The site of the former Greater Manchester Police Headquarters in Stretford will soon support approximately 750 new homes, following the signing of a joint venture agreement between Far East Consortium (FEC), Trafford Council, and Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA).
The agreement aims to redevelop the 9.5-acre site to create new homes and a range of other uses. Notably, the scheme will offer 25% affordable housing, aligning with the council and GMCA’s commitment to deliver good-quality affordable, low-carbon homes via the regeneration of brownfield land. The project is part of Trafford Council’s newly adopted Civic Quarter Area Action Plan for Stretford.
Additionally, the site will host a hotel, leisure facilities, new shops, offices, and community amenities. It is strategically positioned with excellent public transport links to Manchester city centre. The developers were selected following a competitive procurement process initiated in 2022, and Greater Manchester Police relocated to a new facility in Central Park, Newton Heath, in 2012.
Gavin Taylor, Managing Director at FEC Manchester, expressed excitement about formalising the agreement, stating, ‘It’s incredibly exciting to be able to formalise our agreement with the council and GMCA so that we can get under way with delivering the new vision for this regionally important project. We recognise that the former police station site is in a high-profile location and the local community want to see it brought back into use for the good of the people living here. We intend to do just that by leveraging our significant regeneration expertise to deliver a place that creates spaces for people to live, work and come together.’
Cllr Liz Patel, Executive Member for Economy and Regeneration at Trafford Council, highlighted the importance of the site, stating, ‘This is a very important site in the centre of the council’s Civic Quarter. Thank you to our partners at GMCA and FEC who have worked hard alongside the council to help bring this brownfield site back to life. We look forward to progressing this exciting project which will bring forward 750 sustainable new homes which include significant numbers of much-needed affordable housing.’
This joint venture marks a significant step towards the redevelopment of a key location in Stretford, promising to deliver much-needed housing and community facilities while leveraging sustainable practices and maintaining affordability.