An application for a 24-hours a day 365-days a year licence for a stand-up live music venue was submitted to Trafford Council – and then put on hold when the developer, David Vincent, realised the strength of local opposition. He now says he’s going to engage in meaningful consultations with residents.

This proposal threatens yet more disruption for residents of Gorse Hill and Longford, who already have enough to put up with on match and event days at Manchester United and the Cricket Club. Now up to 16,000 people could be descending on the streets of Old Trafford in the early hours of the morning, and residents will be worried about more noise and disturbance, crime and disorder, as thousands of clubbers spill out into the community late at night.

Yet Trafford Council seems keen to bend over backwards to approve the proposals. Although many of you got in contact with me to express your concerns, residents were given only a short time to submit formal objections to the licence application, right over the Christmas and New Year holiday period, before Mr. Vincent decided to put his plans on hold. While it’s good that our protests have now delayed the application, we still expect Mr. Vincent and the Council will want to stick to their original ambition to open on New Year’s Eve.

I’m utterly opposed to seeing these plans be rushed through without any regard for residents’ concerns. The police have also expressed their anxiety. If you’d like to support my campaign against the Stadium Point proposals, or want to be kept up to date with developments, email me at kate@stretfordurmstonlabour.org.uk