Watling Gate

The house, called Watling Gate, is a Listed Building, and during the time it has been under the supposed protection of Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council, the art collection has been lost and the building has deteriorated to such a degree that it is no longer safe.

The Independent

Paul Vallely: 'In shops here, the level of attentiveness borders on a free social service'

Home And Away

"...It began when the local council, Trafford, splashed out £5,000 of our council tax on hiring a firm of surveyors to write to local businesses about the free car park down the road in Sale Moor to "invite interested parties to submit proposals for this land"..."

Read the ful story online!

'In shops here, the level of attentiveness borders on a free social service'

We got mentioned in the Independent today Thursday, 19 November 2009.

“…It began when the local council, Trafford, splashed out £5,000 of our council tax on hiring a firm of surveyors to write to local businesses about the free car park down the road in Sale Moor to "invite interested parties to submit proposals for this land"…

…A group of local activists, calling themselves Trafford Heritage Society, got together a campaign against the supermarket plan. They raised a 2,500 signature petition, established a Sale Moor Covenant and set up a lively website… A victory for people power. Now there's a rarity in modern British political life.”

(Read the full story in today’s issue)

Trafford Conservatives issue a secret message to the Traders of Sale Moor.

Prefaced by the statement ‘for your eyes only’ Trafford Conservative Councillors issued a message this week to the traders of Sale Moor seeking to claim credit for saving Warrener Street Car Park. The message, in the form of a paper document, was distributed only to the businesses in Sale Moor. It stated that the Leader of the Council made the decision to preserve the car park, purely on the weight of public opinion against development. The decision to retain Warrener Street car park was announced by the Council on Monday 09.11.09. Yet the Leader, Councillor Matthew Colledge stated in an e-mail to THS, on 08.11.09, (the day before) that

My earlier comments remain: there are no plans for developing Warrener Street Car Park.

So, Cllr Colledge, what were you intending to do with the car park, before you decided to preserve it ?

You can’t have it both ways !

Either you were intending to develop the car park and you decided against it in view of the overwhelming public outcry.

Or you never had any plans, as you claimed in your e-mail, in which case there would have been no need to announce your decision that you had decided to preserve it.

Click here to read the "secret message"...

People Power!

Warrener Street car park in Sale Moor, Trafford will not be developed promises Trafford Council

CAMPAIGNERS have claimed victory in the battle to prevent a Sale Moor car park from being developed. They are celebrating after council chiefs said this week that they won’t sell the free car park at Warrener Street to developers.
They have underlined their commitment to retain the car park by promising to re-surface it early next year... (click her to read the full story)

"Major worries over Greenspace Strategy" - response from Councillor Jane Baugh

(Click here to read the response from Councillor Jane Baugh about Trafford MBC's Greenspace Strategy)

(Download Trafford MBC's Greenspace Strategy document (*.pdf))

A Trader Speaks

THS announces the ‘Sale Moor Covenant’

We now call upon Trafford Council to make this agreement with the People of Sale Moor. We expect every councillor, irrespective of the party they represent, to agree to this covenant.

The Sale Moor Covenant
1 There will be a moratorium in force on any development of the car park at Warrener Street for a minimum period of thirty years.

2 There will be no charge made for the use of the car park, irrespective of any recommendations by central government, or other external bodies.

3 There will be no sale of any land owned by the people of Trafford, which lies within Sale Moor. 1.(Land owned by the people is often referred to wrongly as ‘owned’ by the Council; the Council in fact owns nothing: it is the People2. who own the land).

4 There will be no demolition permitted of any building in Sale Moor ward without full consultation with the People of Sale Moor, except for reasons of safety.

5 There will be no planning permission given for the erection of any building in Sale Moor ward without full consultation with the People of Sale Moor.

6 There will be no permission for the establishment of any new business in Sale Moor village without full consultation with the People of Sale Moor, and a full consultation with the Traders to elicit an analysis of the likely effect on the retail ecology of the village.

7 The retail area of any new business will be restricted so as to maintain fair competition in the village.

8 There will be a financial programme of start-up incentives targeting new businesses in the village in order to broaden the retail provision. Concurrently, there will be a review of the trading conditions of existing businesses consistent with the maintenance of fair competition in the village. This programme will run for five years initially, with the prospect of renewal.

9 There will be a complete review of on-street parking in Sale Moor village, with a view to extending the period of time permitted, and the removal of parking restrictions in some places.

10 Financial support for the initiatives and improved conditions mentioned above will be found from Council Tax revenue, and not from any localised charges in the village.

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1 Sale Moor is defined by the boundaries of the Sale Moor electoral ward.
2 ‘The People of Sale Moor’ are defined as belonging to one or more of four categories; the Traders, the Shoppers, the Residents and those who work in Sale Moor.