ALTRINCHAM town centre is in the middle of an exciting period of regeneration.

Construction work on the hospital is underway; the transport interchange is undergoing an extensive redevelopment; a planning application has been received for the £70m Altair scheme; and the new market operator for the town’s Charter Market has recently been announced: Here Messenger highlights some of the projects.

ALTRINCHAM HOSPITAL.

WORK on the new Altrincham hospital is well underway - and the new facility is set to open its doors in early 2015.

The £13m 75,000 sq ft hospital, on Railway Street, is being developed by Pochin Property in partnership with Citybranch, on behalf of the Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CMFT).

Health chiefs promise that the long awaited new hospital will provide high quality facilities and better disabled access.

Facilities will include a minor injuries unit, outpatient consultation and treatment rooms, physiotherapy, X-ray, ultrasound and blood testing services, in addition to staff offices, meeting rooms and welfare facilities.

The development will replace the current Altrincham Hospital, which dates back to the Victorian era, as well as expanding the services offered.

Adam Gross, director at Citybranch said: “Our partnership with Pochin has proved extremely positive and it is gratifying to have reached this point.

“This has been a project that has been in the pipeline for many years and we are excited to witness the next stage of the development.”

Peter Mount, chairman of CMFT, added: “We are delighted that our plans to create a new state-of-the-art hospital for Altrincham are coming to fruition.

“This development will be a significant boost both to local people and the local economy.”

ALTRINCHAM INTERCHANGE.

A £19m redevelopment of Altrincham Interchange is on track to deliver an impressive new transport hub.

The project, which is being delivered by Laing O’Rourke and overseen by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), is due to be completed in the latter half of 2014.

As well as a new ticket office, the project is providing a brand new, modern concourse at the interchange, improved links between bus, train and tram services and enhanced CCTV and passenger information systems.

As part of the Greater Manchester Commuter Cycle Project, a dedicated cycle hub will also be provided at the interchange, providing secure, covered cycle parking for more than 50 bikes.

ALTRINCHAM MARKET.

MULTI-million pound plans to revitalise Altrincham’s market quarter are set to get underway.

Altrincham Forward announced last October that it had drawn up a blueprint to regenerate the market quarter and make the town centre more welcoming.

The Altrincham Forward group – made up of council, business and community leaders – says the £13m scheme will deliver a refurbished marketplace, pedestrian friendly streets and a new, purpose-built home for Altrincham Library.

Trafford Council has joined forces with Hale-based developer Citybranch to carry out the £15m scheme.

Cllr Matt Colledge, the chairman of Altrincham Forward and leader of Trafford Council, said the regeneration of the market quarter was an important step in revitalising Altrincham. He is confident it will act as a catalyst and the benefits will include attracting major retailers into the town.

He said: “Our aim is to increase footfall, provide better community facilities and improve business performance for everyone, from market traders to national retailers and for our local bars and restaurants.

The bulk of the cost – £13m – will be met by Hale-based developer Citybranch while the council will contribute £2m. It will finance this by selling as yet unspecified parcels of council-owned land.

The current site of Altrincham Hospital, which is set to move to its new site on Railway Street in early 2015, will become home to the new library, and some of the land will be used to create a large pedestrianised space between the library and the market.

The remainder of the site will be redeveloped to contain a mix of residential and commercial units, and may also be the site of a new hotel for the town centre. If things go to plan, this will be completed in 2015.

STAMFORD HOUSE.

THE long-awaited refurbishment of historic Stamford House is underway, and has been welcomed by the Altrincham and Bowdon Civic Society.

In March, proposals by owner Petros Developments were approved by planning chiefs to refurbish the listed building on the corner of Stamford New Road and Moss Lane - the ‘gateway’ to Altrincham.

The project for the 108-year-old building - also known as Station Buildings - includes 24 flats on the first, second and third floors and nine shops on the ground floor.

David Eastwood, vice chairman of Altrincham and Bowdon Civic Society, said: “On behalf of the Altrincham and Bowdon Civic Society, may I say how pleased we are at the ongoing refurbishment of Station Buildings in the centre of the town.

“It is a grade II listed building and for far too long has been empty and mouldering until there was a serious danger that it would be beyond saving.”

He added: “We now look forward to the re-opening of Station Buildings with new retail premises and new apartments as a welcome and essential part of the regeneration of our town.

“None of this would have happened without the willingness of Peter Collins and David Collins of Petros Ltd, and of course the co-operation of Trafford Council.”

Stamford House was designed by the renowned Manchester architect Charles Heathcote and built between 1904-05. The Edwardian building had shops on the ground floors and 84 offices on the upper floors.

But the offices have been empty for more than 15 years and the shops for more than two years.