Planning application submitted for £130m Carrington relief road

Trafford Council has received a planning application for the proposed Carrington relief road, marking a significant step forward for the long-planned infrastructure project.

Following a six-week public consultation, the council’s planning and development committee is expected to approve proposals for the £130m scheme, which is intended to unlock major development opportunities in the Carrington area.

The new 2.7-mile route would connect the northern edge of Partington to the existing Carrington Spur close to Ashton on Mersey. Plans include six signal-controlled junctions, alongside three new ponds designed to support wildlife habitats and improve surface water drainage. Nearly half of the road would follow the alignment of an existing roadway on the former Carrington petrochemical site.

The project has been developed by Amey as part of the One Trafford Partnership, working alongside construction firm Balfour Beatty. It forms a key element of Trafford Council’s Places for Everyone ‘New Carrington’ Master Plan, which sets out ambitions for up to 5,000 new homes and 350,000 square metres of employment space by 2040.

If approved, construction of the relief road is expected to begin in spring 2030, with completion targeted for summer 2032.

Cllr Aidan Williams, Trafford Council’s executive member for climate change, said:

“The communities of Partington and Carrington have long suffered from poor accessibility, cut off from adjacent areas by the Ship Canal, River Mersey and narrow rural roads.

“This new route will reduce congestion, taking freight vehicles away from unsuitable roads and, for the first time, provide safe and traffic-free walking and cycling space between Partington and Sale.”

Cllr Liz Patel, executive member for economy and regeneration, added:

“Carrington and Partington are a major focus of future growth and regeneration, and this new road is needed to enable this to happen. I am particularly proud that for much of its length we will provide as much space for walking and wheeling as we will for powered vehicles, promoting active travel and alternative ways of getting around.”