The 'Salford' Reds Stadium - proposed development. I have extremely strong objections against this proposed development. A new stadium for Salford City Reds Rugby matches could and should remain in Salford preferably on a 'non residential' dedicated area such as 'The Salford Quays'. Where, I believe there are numerous prestigious sites available with excellent infrastructure already in place. If its good enough for the BBC???? then why not 'The Reds' and they remain with the Salford identity intact. To develop the site at Barton in Eccles, would involve even more serious and major highway problems in an already over congested and intensely trafficked area. If it was just the sport stadium and solely for the purpose of Rugby matches there would still be problems at crisis times. However, the development includes all kinds of additional and more to the point un-necessary projects. The stadium is to be used not only for rugby but also sundry events, including 'Music Concerts' Promotions etc. also A Retail Park! 'Like we really need another one! To join the already partially occupied, rates enhanced, environmental disasters'. There are many retail parks totally surrounding this site. 'Mark One' in Eccles centre, (under-occupied)Salford, Regent Road, (many un-occupied units), Trafford Retail Park at Davyhulme, (vacant units), The Trafford Centre, with plans for expansion, White City, Cheetham Hill, Manchester City and conurbation, Warrington Retail Development and Gemini Business parks, (also with vacant units). DO WE REALLY 'NEED' ANOTHER RETAIL DEVELOPMENT? Also include plans for yet another hotel to compete with all the others in the area. Maybe the visitors will find the adjoining Waste Transfer Station and the Sewage Treatment plant interesting. Is there really a demand? I think not! Thankfully the 'Casino' part of this application has been dropped as a recent amendment. As for Fast Food outlets, Restaurants and such like, Eccles is a main road filled with Pubs and Take-Away Food vendors, if a stop isn't put on this, soon, the authority will run out of time to collect all the additional waste and rubbish generated by these traders, not to mention the number that will go out of business due to even more competition. I sincerely hope that the Secretary of State will take a common sense approach and find against the unecessary additional developments of the 'Retail Park', Fast Food outlets, Restaurants, Mobile 'Souvenir' vendors, which will no doubt turn into another partially occupied 'White Elephant' or revert others in the area into the same whilst occupiers take advantage of 'the greener grass syndrome' of enhanced rates and promotions to get the units filled.

As the emphasis of the argument, the developers state that it cannot go ahead without all the 'Fringe Benefit' developments to finance the project. If, this stadium development is so lucrative, as we have been assured, and will be such a massive benefit and of course financially viable. I cannot understand why investors aren't queueing up to provide the finances required to build it, rather than the 'funds' being generated by un-wanted, un-required, un-necessary 'Add-ons'.

In conclusion, I'm not exactly enamoured with the attitude of developers who are presenting their proposal for building 'a stadium' for 'The Reds' as long as these other projects can be built as well. No, please give us credit for a smattering of intelligence, we can see through this charade. The emphasis is on profitable development not just building a stadium out of the goodness of their hearts.

BM