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Boom 'needs new tram lines'

Blaise Tapp
13/ 8/2004

THE MAN behind '520m of developments in Greater Manchester has written to Tony Blair and Gordon Brown warning that the decision not to expand Metrolink could harm the plans.

Ken Knott, chief executive of Ask Developments, which last month unveiled a further '260m of plans for a casino, ice rink and themed swimming pool at Sportscity, next to the City of Manchester stadium, has accused the government of lacking "joined up thinking".

He hopes his letters to the prime minister, the chancellor of the exchequer and transport secretary Alistair Darling, will make them reconsider the decision last month to abandon the "big bang" phase three expansion of Metrolink.

Mr Knott says that Metrolink is not only vital to the success of the Sportscity plans but would play an integral part in the success of Central Park business centre and the planned St Petersfield business district in Ashton-under-Lyne.

Confidence

He said: "Take the Metrolink away and you reduce the confidence of investors and occupiers. They are already in disadvantaged areas and we are fundamentally wounding these projects."

He predicted that Central Park, once called the North Manchester Business Park, would suffer the most due to Mr Darling's decision because many of the 5,000 people expected to work there would have used the proposed new Oldham and Rochdale line.

He said: "This is a major setback on projects we have been working on for four or five years now."

Mr Knott added: "They think they are saving money but there are many programmes costing millions and millions of pounds which could be affected by this. This transport decision seems to have been taken in complete isolation."

Mr Knott has also offered his support to the Manchester Evening News' Get Back On Track campaign, which is urging the Government to reverse the decision.