Tameside council has turned down Amec and Stayley’s joint plans to build 100,000 sq ft (9,300 sq m) of offices at their Ashton Moss site.
Tameside feared that Amec’s plans would damage proposed office development at Henry Square.
Commenting on the councils decision, Amec’s Roger Wheeldon said: “Naturally, we are extremely disappointed. The refusal to allow planning to go ahead means that there are currently no large high-quality, office-based employment sites available in Tameside.
“With no timetable for the delivery of Henry Square or Waterside Park, Tameside is falling seriously behind the rest of greater Manchester in providing quality, office-based sites in its borough.”
Amec may appeal against the council’s decision.
With plans for office development at Ashton’s Henry Square still at an early stage, and a business park at Waterside Park, Denton, facing delay, experts are concerned East Manchester will miss out on the job opportunities created by the new M60.
Councillor Kieran Quinn, Tameside’s cabinet member for economic services, said: “We have strongly supported the overall Amec scheme, and this includes the building of office space on the site.
“However, any office development that they propose can only work if it runs side-by-side with our other priorities, which include the regeneration of Henry Square.”
EGi News 21/08/02
