Cheshire Independent Issue 206

OCTOBER 2025 2 No part of this publicationmay be used or reproduced without the express permission of the publisher. Every e!ort is made to ensure that the articles and advertisements that are carried are authentic, however the publisher accepts no responsibility for claims made. © Investors in Publishing Ltd 2025. This newspaper is publishedmonthly by Investors in Publishing, Publishing House, 3 Bridgebank Industrial Estate,Taylor Street, Horwich, Bolton BL6 7PD. 01204 478812 EDITOR Ged Henderson ged@ hendersonnewsandmedia.com CONTACT JayneMeadowcroft 01204 478812 07703 045189 jayne@ independentnewspapers.co.uk ADVERTISING Robin Atkins 07767 840274 robin@ cheshireindependent.co.uk CONTACT US ALMOST seven million passengers travelled through Manchester Air- port during the school holidays – making it a record-breaking summer. August was also the air- port’s busiest ever single month, with 3.5m passengers served by the UK’s northern global gateway. Managing director Chris Woodroofe said: “Here at Manchester Airport, we are proud to connect the North to the world – and over the sum- mer it really feels like we’ve done that. “We’ve seen almost 7m pas- sengers travel through the airport in July and August and we’ve worked hard to deliver a great experience for them. “In the first half of the year we know that more than 90 per cent of our pas- sengers rated their time in the airport as good, very good or excellent. “And having seen the work the teams here have put in over the summer – and the many, many happy faces I see around the airport every day – I feel very confident we’ll see similar figures for this period. “Now we’re moving into a very exciting time for the airport as we get into the final stages of our transfor- mation programme. “Over the next fewmonths, we’ll put the finishing touches to our brand new, £1.3billion Terminal 2 and meanwhile we’ve started work on improv- ing and expanding Terminal 3, with the first new parts of that opening early in the new year. “It means that as we look ahead, I think we’ll see our passengers grow even hap- pier with the service they receive here.” The most popular desti- nations during August were Antalya, Palma, Dublin, Amsterdam and Dubai – a trend that looked to con- tinue in September as trav- ellers took advantage of late summer deals in what’s known as the ‘shoulder sea- son’ – periods either side of the school summer holidays when many popular destina- tions are still warm but prices are lower. Manchester Airport’s 10-year, transformation pro- gramme will be completed later this year. The new Ter- minal 2 will become the cen- tre of gravity for the airport, catering for over 70 per cent of passengers with its new security hall, check-in area and shopping options – all of which opened this year. Further parts of the ter- minal will be opening over the coming months including the Great Northern Market – a market hall style food area featuring pop-up street food vendors – the airport’s first Wetherspoons pub, new shops and bars including Fever Tree and Chanel and a new pier that will allow more flights to depart from the terminal. The airport recently announced further details of its multi-million pound plans to improve Terminal 3 by expanding it to make use of space that will be availa- ble when Terminal 1 closes. Some new parts of Terminal 3 will open early next year, including new sports bar Sporting Chance. PLANS have been unveiled which could see more than 1,000 new homes built around Wood- ford village. Developer Russell LDP has submitted plans for more than 400 new homes a 72-bed care facility in Woodford on a site off Chester Road, following public consultation earlier this year. The developer is seeking outline planning permission for 395 new homes, and 15 self-build properties, as well as a 72-unit care home and 72 apartments for older people living independently. A range of supporting facilities are also proposed, including retail and food and drink units, a medi- cal or health facility and a crèche, day nursery or day centre. Dubbed ‘Woodford Gar- den Neighbourhood’, the scheme also includes plans for nature park that will support meeting biodiversity net gain requirements for the development. The site sits to the west of a planned 500-home expan- sion of Redrow’s Woodford Garden Village scheme, and a number of other housing developments in the village that could see around 2,000 new homes built in total if all are approved. Meanwhile, David Wil- son Homes, part of major housebuilder Barratt Redrow Homes, has launched a pub- lic consultation on its plans to build around 450 new homes east of Woodford Gar- den Village. Plans for the Upper Swines- eye Farm site propose around 450 homes – with more than half made available as affordable housing. A community consulta- tion, including online ques- tionnaire is being carried by David Wilson Homes ahead of a formal planning application being submitted to Stockport Council, and will close on Monday October 13. Gary Lynch, planning director at Russell LDP, said: “We want to thank those who attended our consultation events in Woodford in July. “Since then, we’ve taken on board the feedback received and sought to revise our pro- posals to reflect the needs expressed by the community. “The updated plans now include provision for health- care, a day nursery, and a small retail unit that could be suitable for a post office, alongside refinements to the housing layout.” He added: “Our propos- als directly respond to the acute need across Stockport for specialist elderly care accommodation and general housing, in a comprehensive and sustainable way; and the illustrative masterplan is based on a landscape-led approach, which provides the public with greater access to quality open spaces.” Cheadle MP Tom Morri- son, speaking when Russell LDP launched its public con- sultation this summer, said: “Residents across Woodford, Bramhall, and the wider area value the Green Belt – and for good reason. “These plans would see the loss of vital green space, with little clarity on how local infrastructure would cope. I’ve asked the developers for more information, but it’s already clear that local people are deeply concerned. I’ll be fighting to ensure their voices are heard.” l Continued frompage one “Our focus remains on open, collaborative working with residents and partners to ensure that the changes we pursue deliver clear and lasting benefits.” Devolution with an elected mayor has seen neighbouring Greater Manchester, with its high-profile mayor Andy Burnham, receive wide- spread powers in areas such as transport. Mayor Burnham has a £13bn, 10-year growth plan and the city-region is getting £1bn of investment a year as a result of its devo- lution deal. Airport passenger numbers take off New Woodford expansion plans revealed