Trafford Labour has welcomed the announcement that William Wroe Golf Course is a step closer to being legally protected from unwanted development.

Last year, the Labour-led council applied for Fields in Trust status for the much-loved green space based in Flixton.

This is additional good news for William Wroe after it was officially designated a Town/Village Green just two years ago.

The green space, once the legalities have been completed, can continue to be enjoyed by all the local residents.

It is expected that the application could be finalised as early as next month, and the land formally registered in August.

Flixton councillors, Ged Carter, and Simon Thomas, who have been instrumental in keeping the area solely for the benefit of local residents, applauded the announcement.

“We’re so pleased the council took a belt and braces approach to this and successfully protected the area from unnecessary development,” said Cllrs Carter and Thomas.

“We say this because we know how much work the local community has ploughed into keeping the area solely as a community asset – and it’s a credit to everyone involved.”

The course closed in 2017 and was being considered for housing as part of the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework (GMSF) under the then Conservative-led administration.

However, as a key manifesto pledge Trafford Labour promised to protect the land and removed it from the GMSF after successfully taking back control of the council in 2018.

Meanwhile, the council recently received a ‘draft deed of dedication’ for the Fields in Trust meaning the application will now go through its end stages before being finalised next month.