Latest News
Public Consultation Documents
For information regarding all relevant public consultation and strategy documents click here.
Latest News via Woodford Community Council e-Newsletter
The WCC is now issuing e-mail newsletters and newsflashes to keep residents updated on the latest news in the community. You can sign up for this service or view past newsletters here.
Click on a heading to go straight to the individual news items.
News
1. BAE News
Confirmation of Sale of Site - 20th Dec 2011
BAE Systems today (20/12/11) announced that it had sold its Woodford Site, in Cheshire to Avro Heritage Limited. The sale is effective immediately.
Avro Heritage Limited has vowed to ensure that Woodford's proud association with the aviation industry is reflected in the future development of the site.
On completion of the sale Jim Welsh, BAE Systems said: "BAE Systems has a long and proud association with Woodford and although disappointed to be leaving the site we are happy that the new owners have exciting plans for this historically important site".
James Fletcher for Avro Heritage Limited said: "We are honoured to take ownership of such a historic site and we will endeavour to ensure its past is not forgotten".
"We have many exciting plans for the site which will hopefully create new jobs and provide the local community with much needed leisure facilities".
BAE Systems and its predecessor companies has had a presence at the Woodford site since 1924 and during the last 90 years has seen in excess of 20,000 aircraft being built at the facility include the Lancaster Bomber, Canberra, Vulcan, Nimrod and Avro jets.
As part of the sale, the Golf Club and Heritage Centre are in the process of extending their leases to remain on the site.
Additional Information
- After World War I farmland near Bramhall in Cheshire was purchased by Avro to become Woodford Aerodrome.
- The Aerodrome first came into use in 1924.
- In World War II Avro produced aircraft like the Anson and the Lancaster.
- The post-war years saw the production of aircraft such as the Shackleton and the Vulcan delta-winged bomber.
- Avro was absorbed into Hawker Siddeley Aviation in 1963 followed by nationalisation to become part of British Aerospace in 1977, and then BAE Systems in 1999.
- Aircraft production continued with the 748 and ATP turboprop transports and the 146/RJ series of jet airliners.
- Woodford Site was engaged on the Nimrod MRA4 programme, building the world’s most advanced maritime reconnaissance and surveillance aircraft.
- Woodford Site covers an area of 203 hectares (502 acres). It has 160,000 square metres (1,713,000 square feet) of covered manufacturing areas and offices, and a main runway 7,800ft (2,100 metres) in length.
- The site is split almost equally between the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport and Cheshire East Borough. Discussions are underway with the appropriate authorities on the future use of the site.
- Avro Heritage Ltd is a company operated by Harry Harvey and Jo Bamford.
Note: You can also read about the purchase on the Manchester Evening News Website - click here.
BAE Woodford site purchaser revealed as JCB heir - 18th Oct 2011
Following recent rumour and speculation, it has been revealed that the billionaire heir to the JCB empire, Mr Jo Bamford, is behind plans to buy BAE Systems' Woodford site with a view to transforming the 500 acre site into film studios, housing and a leisure complex, including an equestrian centre and point-to-point race course. The plans involve creating a film studio at the south of the site, while a mix of affordable and luxury homes would be built to the north. Woodford's historic links with the aviation industry will be maintained with the retention of the runway and the development of a new heritage centre on the site of the original Avro hanger.
Read the full story in the Manchester Evening News Business web page here.
Design Workshops - Full Report
The Taylor Young Report on the Design Workshops can be downloaded from the Stockport Council Website by clicking here.
Adobe Reader' is required to view this document. If it is not installed on your PC, it can be downloaded from the Adobe website here.
Public Presentation
Following the recent Public Exhibitions and Design Workshops held in relation to the Woodford Aerodrome site, a Public Meeting was held at the Woodford Community Centre on Thursday, 14 July 2011 to present the findings and outcomes of these events. The presentations are now available to view on the SMBC website – click here.
Woodford Community Centre and BAE Redevelopment
On behalf of the Woodford War Memorial Community Centre Management Committee, the Chairman, Andrew Freeth, has sent a letter to SMBC regarding the potential impact on and opportunities for the Community Centre arising from the BAE site redevelopment.
The Committee is very keen to highlight the key role played by the Centre, which provides a facility in daily use by a wide range of members of the current community. An important feature of the Centre is that it is a self-funding charity run entirely by volunteers and does not draw on any public funding at present. The current Centre site provides an opportunity for development of expanded and improved facilities that could meet the needs of the new expanded community, playing a cohesive role in bringing the old and new communities together.
Click here for the full text of the letter.
For further information about the Woodford Community Centre, see its website www.woodfordcom.com.
Woodford Aerodrome – Design Workshops
Stockport Council and Cheshire East Council, who are working to develop planning documents embracing the site, organised and funded a series of Design Workshops running from 13th to 18th June 2011. The workshops, which were facilitated by Taylor Young, an independent national urban design consultancy based locally, provided an opportunity for local people and interest groups to get involved in the planning of the development.
Details of what happened at the workshops, can be found at the following website which is being updated on a daily basis, reflecting the discussions from each workshop
www.woodfordaerodromedesignworkshop.wordpress.com
A personal view on the workshops, prepared by David Buszard, one of the WCC members who participated in them, may be seen here.
Poynton Local Area Partnership (LAP) BAE Woodford Working Group Submission
Representatives of Woodford Community Council have been active participants in this Working Group for several months and have helped to draft a Submission on the future of the BAE site. Click here for the full document.
The submission has been approved by all of the relevant Town, Parish and Community Councils. It is a working document that reflects the views of representatives of the communities surrounding the Woodford site.
The submission is a consequence of five months’ work and has been informed by:
- the Stockport MBC Core strategy;
- information and advice from senior planning and regeneration officers from both Stockport MBC and Cheshire East Council;
- advice and support from a Professor of Planning and an independent planning advisor;
- a public meeting held in Adlington;
- attendance by members of the Working Group throughout the public exhibitions held by BAE/CASS in Woodford, Bramhall and Poynton.
Any feedback would be welcomed. Please send it to lap.wwg@gmail.com.
Public Exhibitions
Prepared by BAE and their consultants Cass Associates, public exhibitions have been held at three locations in the Woodford locality from 24th to 28th May 2011. The exhibition boards and a questionnaire are now available on the following website:
www.futurewoodford.co.uk
The questionnaire may be completed online or downloaded and returned by post. Please note that the closing date for return of the questionnaires is 3 JUNE 2011.
This is your opportunity to examine the background work that has already been undertaken, look at various suggestions being put forward for future development and - most importantly - put forward your own views on the future of the site.
Information received from Stockport MBC
Click here for details of the Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) - Public Involvement Programme.
Adobe Reader' is required to view this document. If it is not installed on your PC, it can be downloaded from the Adobe website here.
SMBC Presentation at WCC AGM
Mr Paul Rubinstein, Service Director, Regeneration, from Stockport MBC, was the guest speaker at the recent Woodford Community Council AGM, which was held on 25th November 2010.
For a brief summary click here (PDF) OR click here to view the slides of the full presentation. (NB You will need to save this file to your computer before double clicking on it to play. The presentation is 1.5MB in size and may take a short while to download).
The
draft Minutes of the
AGM are available
here.
2. Woodford Community Centre goes green by planting free trees
Members of the community in Woodford planted over 100 free trees from the Woodland Trust at the Woodford War Memorial Community Centre on Sunday 20th November, as a green investment for future generations.
Woodford Community Centre has been dear to the hearts of the local community since it was built in 1953. It is a registered charity, entirely self-funding and run by local volunteers. Two halls, a large car park and a field provide an excellent venue for a wide range of activities, including sport, dancing, shows, car boot sales, meetings, parties, or weddings.
Tree planting was organised by the management committee of the Woodford Community Centre. Their spokesperson for the event, Evelyn Frearson, said, "Tree planting is a great way for us to do something lasting for our local area. Trees enhance the environment by absorbing carbon dioxide emissions form human activities and providing habitats for wild life. We chose the 'all year round colour' pack for the local community to enjoy."
The free saplings have been planted to form a copse on the field. A special sapling grown from a seed harvested from a tree growing on one of the royal estates was included in the pack. The important task of planting this special Jubilee Tree was given to the youngest volunteer on the day, 5 year old Mathew Horrocks, (pictured right) grandson of one of the members of the community centre management committee.
The free community tree packs are part of the Woodland Trust's Jubilee Woods project, which aims to plant 6 million trees by the end of 2012. With HRH The Princess Royal as patron, it is only one of a handful of projects to carry official Royal approval. According to the Woodland Trust, over 1,000 registrations were received for community packs this autumn and as a result, more than 200,000 free trees will be planted.
Victoria Hodson from the Woodland Trust added: "We are delighted that the Woodford Community Centre used our free tree scheme. Communities are transforming their neighbourhoods, growing their own fruits and food, creating shade and shelter, and providing new homes for wildlife. Next year, we are offering more free trees as part of our Jubilee Woods Project to celebrate Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee, and would love more communities to get involved."
In February, the Trust is encouraging millions of people across the UK to come together and plant one million trees in one month to celebrate 60 years since The Queen's accession to the throne. Communities can take part by applying for a free pack at www.jubileewoods.org.uk/treepacks.
3. Woodford Community Council AGM
The 2011 AGM was held on Thursday, 24th November. Click here for a copy of the draft Minutes, which will be confirmed at the 2012 AGM.
Guest speakers were Mr Paul Lawrence, Service Director, Place Development, Stockport MBC, who provided an update on the Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) for the BAE Woodford site, and Mr Philip Chadwick, Director, Gascoigne Halman, who spoke about the local property market.
4. Mayor opens new assisted living facilities at Woodford care home
The Worshipful the Mayor and Mayoress of Stockport (Councillor Les Jones and Mrs Jackie Jones) performed the formal opening of a new seven bedroom 'Assisted Living' facility at Woodford care home Southfield House on Friday 23rd September 2011.
The opening formed the focal point in a two day event which enabled seniors and their families to view the newly created facilities at 'Norwood' on Woodford Road for the first time.
Find out much more about Southfield House, the facilities and the opening by clicking here.
5. Woodford 10K is a Runaway Success
The Woodford 10K took place recently with over 300 runners, from experienced athletes to those running for fun, completing the 10k multi-terrain course.
Many of them supported the race's chosen charity, the Seashell Trust, a school and college for young people with profound disabilities, based in Cheadle Hulme.
The event, which had a real family feel, with fun entertainment provided by Pure FM, is expecting to raise around £10,000 for the charity.
Race Organiser, Chris Ackers was delighted the event continued its success of last year's inaugural race, and was full of praise for all the participants. 'We have been overwhelmed with so much positive feedback about the event and so grateful that so many of our runners got behind our chosen charity, Seashell Trust. It's been amazing to repeat the success of last year's race.'
And there were a few well known faces amongst the runners, including Annabel Tiffin from BBC North West News, who after completing the race said, 'I thoroughly enjoyed the run and it's a really good course. The atmosphere has been great with so many well-wishers helping all the runners along.'
Helen Clayton, Fundraising Officer at Seashell Trust explains 'We are so grateful to everyone that ran for the Seashell Trust. It was amazing to see so many people there and the support we have received through this event has been incredible.
We provide a home, an education and hope for children, young people and adults with learning difficulties and disabilities and many of those that come to us face such complex problems that they may never be able to communicate, play, laugh or even cry without our help. Every single person that has supported us through the Woodford 10K will have made a huge difference to the work we can do'.
To support Seashell Trust and our runners, please visit www.seashelltrust.org.uk or call Helen Clayton on 0161 610 0168. And if you missed out on this race, why not register now for next year's Manchester 10K, which will take place on Sunday 20th May 2012, and run for Seashell Trust. Registrations are now open on www.greatrun.org.
The full results of the race can be found on http://woodford10k.com/
6. Area Committees
Stockport has seven Area Committees whose members are the ward Councillors for those areas. They provide the citizens of Stockport with the opportunity to make a contribution on issues which effect their local community.
Area Committees have budgets to make decisions about traffic calming, pavement repairs, public rights of way and other local highway matters. They determine applications for the use of parks, nominate governors to local schools and consider planning applications. They also monitor the operation of services provided by the Council and external agencies within their area and can make proposals on how services can be improved.
They provide an opportunity for local people to have their say through open forums, public question times and public speaking on planning applications and are an important part of the Council's public consultation process with the local community, community council, tenants and resident associations and other local groups.
Bramhall and Cheadle Hulme South Area Committee represents the wards of Bramhall North, Bramhall South (which includes Woodford) and Cheadle Hulme South. It meets every month at Bramhall Village Club, Melbourne Road, Bramhall. All meetings commence at 6.30 pm and are open to the general public.
Dates of Meetings
Further information is given on Stockport Council’s website – click here.
7. Crime Update - Neighbourhood Policing
Recent police reports show that Woodford continues to be a low crime area, particularly with regard to residential properties. However, there is an increasing trend throughout the borough for criminals to focus their attention on local businesses, which are seen as an easy target. The police urge all residents to be vigilant and to report any concerns regarding crime either to the local community officers or directly to the non-emergency service on 0161 872 5050 or in an emergency, where a crime is actually taking place, by using the 999 service.
The police also encourage the establishment of Neighbourhood Watch schemes. Within Woodford there are now five schemes in operation, covering parts of Moor Lane, Church Lane and Chester Road, although there is scope for additional coordinators in other areas. Anybody who would like to know more about the NW scheme, would like join an existing group or would consider becoming a coordinator for their local area of Woodford can either contact the WCC through our web link or contact the police directly on 0161 856 9770.
8. News Archive
To discover a selection of older news items and information regarding Woodford and our community, including planning applications, the re-opening of Olivers Restaurant and this website click here.
Return to top of page.
