Planning update: 9,000-space car park, and geothermal site approved
MANCHESTER Airports Group (MAG) has won permission to turn 28 acres of former green belt land into 9,000 car parking spaces.
The plan was recommended for approval by planning officers and approved by the city council’s planning committee today.
More than 2,000 people signed petitions and a further 34 have written to the council opposing the loss of open space and expressing concern over congestion and pollution.
MAG said it needs the site, bounded by Styal Road, Ringway Road and Shadowmoss Road, because its Airport City scheme, and the airport link road, will use some of its existing parking space. It currently has 23,000 spaces but predicts it will need an additional 7,100 by October 2014.
The land was classed as green belt until last summer when it was removed after a long term development plan was adopted by the council which recognised the site would be required by the airport.
A report prepared for the planning committee said: “It is acknowledged, however, at a detailed level there would inevitably be some impact arising from the development. However, it is considered that the proposal has been designed to reduce impacts upon the levels of visual and residential amenity enjoyed by the occupants of the nearby residential properties. Furthermore, the associated landscaping treatment throughout the site will mitigate against the loss of the existing poor quality landscape features.”
A Manchester Airport spokesperson said: “We are pleased the planning application to improve car parking facilities for passengers using the airport has been approved. Moving forward we will continue to work with our local community and stakeholders as we have always done. We understand that our operations can have an impact on local residents and as we look to invest, we will keep lines of dialogue open while continuing to act as a job creator for the region.”
* A Dublin company was granted approval for exploratory work in Manchester on what could become the UK’s first large-scale geothermal plant.
GT Energy wants to harness heat from hot water 3,200 metres below Ardwick and plans to start by drilling two exploratory boreholes that would subsequently be used as operational wells. It believes its multi-million pound project could be the focus of a low-carbon economic zone in the area, as well as help to drive down energy costs for local people.
It has partnered with the German energy company E.ON to tap a natural energy reservoir beneath the city known as the Cheshire Basin from a council-owned plot of land on the corner of Devonshire Street and Coverdale Crescent, close to the O2 Apollo venue.
