UDP - Chapter 18 - Audenshaw
Unitary Development Plan
Chapter 18
Audenshaw
| Ref | Proposal | Justification |
|---|---|---|
| TR2 | Construction of a new link road to connect the A635 Manchester Road at The Snipe to the B6390 Audenshaw Road near Guide Bridge, incorporating south facing slip roads to the proposed M66 extension. | TR2. This short but important length of new road, known as the Audenshaw Link, will be constructed by the Department of Transport at the same time as the M66 extension, bridging the railway and canal near Hanover Street and providing south facing slip roads to the motorway itself. Its main purpose is to link Audenshaw and more specifically the A6017, a primary route intersecting with the B6390 at Guide Bridge, directly with the M66, thereby facilitating quicker access to the motorway network for many residents and businesses in the central part of Tameside. There should be particular benefits for traffic associated with various industrial premises in the Guide Bridge, Shepley and Globe Lane (Dukinfield) areas. |
| AUD1 | Provision for a new access road at Guide Bridge, to link the Brookside Sidings (ASH2) and Dewsnap Sidings (DUK1) sites directly with the existing highway network in the vicinity of its junction with the proposed Audenshaw Link to the proposed M66 motorway extension (TR2). | AUD1. This proposal, on the eastern side of the town, originated in association with proposals for international rail freight transfer and distribution facilities to be developed at the Brookside and Dewsnap Sidings sites in Ashton and Dukinfield (see proposals ASH2 and DUK1 respectively). Whilst those schemes were expected to bring substantial economic benefits to the Tameside area, there was also concern that the increased amount of heavy lorry movements involved could lead to conflicts on inadequate and congested parts of the local highway network, and possibly cause environmental problems. The proposals which have evolved more recently for the Dewsnap Sidings site (DUK1) can be satisfactorily served from a new access from Astley Street, but benefits would still be gained by the provision at some future date of a more direct link to the motorway network, especially if rail freight access is achieved on this site or at Brookside in due course. This proposal for a dedicated road to the proposed sites from a point close to the Audenshaw motorway link at Guide Bridge would therefore serve the dual objectives of excellent access to these facilities and minimal use of existing multi purpose roads. The route would be almost entirely along railway land at the side of the Manchester to Glossop line, requiring new and modified bridges in order to reach the Dewsnap Sidings site. It would then enable movements to take place between the two sites without use of public highways, as well as providing quick access to the motorway network from either site. |
| AUD2 | Land at the north west end of the Shepley Industrial Estate, off Shepley Road, to be developed for employment purposes. | AUD2. This 2.2 hectare plot of vacant land is a flat grassed site which forms part of the Shepley Industrial Estate North, in the Tame valley on the eastern side of the town. The site has good access through the estate and is bounded by the River Tame to the north, the industrial estate to the south and an embankment to the west beyond which lies playing fields. The site location is therefore well suited for industrial use and within 5 minutes of the proposed M66. |
| DEN1 | Business park on Denton and part of Fairfield golf courses - See Denton chapter. |
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| AUD4 | Development Opportunity Area: The area mostly of scrap yards and open land bounded by sections of the Guide Bridge to Crowthorn Junction, Denton Junction to Crowthorn Junction and Piccadilly to Guide Bridge railway lines and by Audenshaw Road, crossed by the proposed Audenshaw link road (TR2).
The potential here is for high quality office, light |
AUD4. This extensive area in the north eastern part of Audenshaw is a combination of cleared sites, derelict railway land, under-used open land and most conspicuously scrap yards. The Ashton Canal and a boat repair yard are located towards the northern end of the area and some residential and commercial properties face Audenshaw Road to the south. With no proper through roads it has been a "backwater" for many years and has a very poor standard of appearance. However, the arrival of the motorway in 1998 will completely transform the accessibility and visibility of the area, making it potentially one of the prime locations in the Borough.
A development opportunity therefore undoubtedly exists if the site can be assembled, with the major advantage of quick access onto the M66. However, whilst the potential is considerable there are practical difficulties to be overcome, not least the relocation of the scrap yards. The Ashton Canal running through the northern part of the area is at present a wasted resource as far as the adjoining land is concerned and any new development should aim to incorporate its frontage as part of the overall design and to allow for a boat yard of acceptable appearance. In its Strategic Development Plan for Public Transport to the Year 2002, the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive has identified a possible rail based park and ride site in the vicinity of this proposed Development Opportunity Area. This has implications for the redevelopment potential of the area as a whole, and could introduce unnecessary additional traffic. However, the opportunity for provision for a park and ride station, modest in scale and geared to the local needs of the Tameside area, will not be precluded at this stage, pending further work on the transport strategy for Greater Manchester and the more detailed implications for site development. There are known to be access problems to certain sites outside the boundaries of the Development Opportunity Area, particularly for the Guide Bridge Trading Estate. The question of whether the development of the AUD4 site could offer some solution to these problems will be addressed, as part of the more detailed work which must be undertaken before firm development proposals can be drawn up. Development in this area must satisfy the requirements of policy G6a for traffic impact assessment. |
| AUD5 | Land west of Booth Road and south of the Piccadilly to Guide Bridge railway to be developed for housing.
To include the establishment of a footpath / cycleway along the line of the former Fairfield to Hyde Road railway line. |
AUD5. This 2.9 hectare triangular shaped plot of land at the western edge of Audenshaw is comprised of a redundant length of railway trackbed, embankments, a sloping field used for grazing and a builders merchants yard. The site is enclosed by an operational railway line, railway bridge, wooded grounds near the golf clubhouse and open land beyond the Tameside / Manchester boundary. The location is considered suitable for housing and outline planning permission was granted for residential use on the greater part of the site (i.e. excluding the builders merchants yard) in September 1990. This outline consent was renewed in December 1993. At the same time, the Council was minded to approve a separate planning application submitted in September 1993 for 83 dwellings to be erected on the whole site, subject to the signing of a Section 106 Agreement. |
| AUD8 | Land south of Booth Road to be developed for housing. | AUD8. This 1.0 hectare site, situated immediately south of the Booth Road railway bridge, is currently occupied by the clubhouse of Fairfield Golf and Sailing Club and associated car parking areas. It adjoins the proposed housing site AUD5 to the north-west, and the so called Kingswater Park proposed business park and golf course site DEN1 to the south and east. The remaining part of the land owned by the club contains a large number of mature trees which are protected by a Tree Preservation Order, and is therefore unsuitable for development. Although the Fairfield Golf and Sailing Club is still in full operation, the club has been considering its future options in the light of the DEN1 proposals, which would involve the loss of one of the existing golf courses within that area. An outline planning application for residential development on this site was considered by the Council in March 1994, which was minded to approve it subject to the signing of a Section 106 Agreement. |