Key Points
- The Trafford Council will be seeking public backing for a new masterplan for the delayed Altrincham site off Oakfield Road which will have apartments as its main component.
- The executive of the council will be convening a week after the report’s release to give the go-ahead for the “direction of travel” of the site next to the Altrincham transport interchange.
- The Trafford Council bought the site at the price of £2m in 2025, two years after the collapse of the developer Nikal.
- The new plans, prepared by Savills, include apartments in structures of up to five floors, terraced houses and a mobility hub.
- The ice rink that currently stands in the south-west corner of the site will remain intact.
- The previous Altair proposal had the outline planning permission from January 2014 and it was valued at £70m, with a retail area, leisure area, offices, homes and a Lidl supermarket.
- A residential-led masterplan will make better use of the sustainable town-centre site and enable housing delivery, but will require short-term public sector funding.
- Homes England and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority will be sought for assistance.
Trafford (Manchester Mirror) October 12, 2026 — Trafford Council is preparing to seek public backing for a refreshed residential-led masterplan for the long-stalled 4.5-acre site off Oakfield Road in Altrincham, previously associated with the Altair regeneration scheme. As reported by Dan Whelan of Place North West, the council’s executive will meet a week after the report was published to consider approving the proposed direction of travel for the site next to Altrincham’s transport interchange.
The land was previously earmarked for Altair, a £70m regeneration scheme led by Nikal. The developer received outline planning permission in January 2014, but the project did not proceed after Nikal entered administration. Trafford Council acquired the site for £2m in 2025, two years after the company’s collapse.
Under the revised proposals, prepared by Savills, the council would pursue a scheme centred on housing. The plans include apartments in buildings rising to five storeys, alongside terraced houses and a mobility hub. The existing ice rink, situated in the south-west corner of the site, would be retained.
Why Has Trafford Chosen A Residential-Led Scheme?
Trafford Council says the residential-led option has been selected because it “makes optimal use of a highly sustainable town centre site, supporting higher-density development near Altrincham Interchange and contributing to housing delivery targets”.
According to the executive report cited by Place North West, a housing-led scheme is also considered the most commercially viable option over the long term. However, the council acknowledges that it would require public-sector gap funding in the short term. Trafford intends to engage with Homes England and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority to explore possible support.
The report states that a residential-led development “faces viability challenges but offers greater flexibility through phased delivery”, with returns expected over a longer period as the scheme is delivered.
What Was Included In The Original Altair Plan?
The original Altair scheme was substantially larger in its mixed-use scope. As reported by Place North West, Nikal’s approved proposals included a 43,000 sq ft leisure centre, 96,000 sq ft of retail and restaurant space, coffee shops and cafes, a 7,400 sq ft bowling alley, 150 apartments and townhouses, 35,000 sq ft of office space and a car park.
Nikal’s vision also included a Lidl supermarket as an anchor tenant. Although Trafford’s revised approach prioritises homes, the executive report indicates that the council remains open to the possibility of a food store on the site in future.
Could Retail Still Form Part Of The Plans?
A retail-led scheme was among the options considered by Trafford Council. The executive report says such an approach “could provide an earlier capital receipt to help recover some development costs”, but adds that the benefit would “likely be significantly reduced by the need to address site constraints”.
The council has therefore concluded that a residential-led scheme offers a more flexible route forward, particularly because it can be delivered in phases. The report does not confirm that retail has been ruled out entirely, and the potential for a future food store remains under consideration.
What Has Trafford Council Said?
Cllr Liz Patel, Trafford Council’s executive member for economy and regeneration, said the council wanted to examine how the area could be redeveloped for the benefit of the town, community and local economy.
“We want to properly explore how this area of Altrincham could be redeveloped for maximum benefit of the town, the community and the local economy,”
she said, as quoted by Place North West.
Cllr Patel also stressed that approving a residential-led approach would not amount to approval of a final development.
“The approval of a residential-led approach does not commit the Council to any specific development scheme and any future decisions would be the subject of further reports and approvals,”
she said.
What Happens Next?
Trafford Council’s executive is due to meet to consider the direction of travel for the site. If approved, the council is expected to begin engagement with the public, Homes England and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority as it develops the proposals further.
No detailed design, developer appointment, funding package or construction timetable has been confirmed. The council has also not confirmed whether the future scheme will include a supermarket, retail units or other commercial uses beyond the residential and mobility-hub elements currently set out.
Background Of The Development
The Oakfield Road site has been a prominent regeneration opportunity in Altrincham for more than a decade. Nikal secured outline planning permission for the £70m Altair scheme in January 2014, proposing a mix of leisure, retail, offices, homes and a supermarket beside the town’s transport interchange.
The project stalled after Nikal collapsed. Trafford Council subsequently acquired the 4.5-acre site for £2m in 2025, giving the local authority direct control over its future. The council has now commissioned a refreshed masterplan from Savills and identified a residential-led approach as its preferred option.
How Could This Affect Altrincham Residents?
For Altrincham residents, the proposals could bring new homes, improved use of a vacant or underused town-centre site and a retained ice rink. A mobility hub could also support access to public transport, particularly given the site’s location beside Altrincham Interchange.
However, residents may want clarity on several issues before detailed plans emerge: the number and type of homes, building heights, parking arrangements, construction disruption, public-realm improvements and whether shops or community facilities will be included. The council’s decision to seek public support suggests that consultation will form part of the next stage, although the exact scope and timing of that engagement have not yet been set out.
