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Salford planning application approved

21 January 2010  -  The biggest-ever planning application for the city of Salford was given the green light by Salford City Council today in a unanimous decision.

The application, submitted by English Cities Fund (ECf) with the support of Central Salford Urban Regeneration Company was larger than that submitted for the first phase of MediaCityUK and will link key sites such as the University of Salford and The Crescent, Chapel Street and the region’s business district - Spinningfields. 

Covering an area of 17.744ha - equivalent to 21 international football pitches – it follows more than two years of consultation with the community and stakeholders and aims to deliver the holistic regeneration of this important part of Salford for the benefit of existing and potential residents, businesses and visitors.

Sir Michael Lyons, non-executive Chairman of English Cities Fund, said: “I am delighted that Salford City Council has today resolved to grant planning permission for this English Cities Fund development. The decision is a significant landmark and lays the foundations for the much needed regeneration of this area.  There remains a considerable amount of work to do before development commences however, with the continued support of its partners and the local community, I am confident that ECf will produce a development that Salford can be proud of.”

The approved plans will create the conditions to assist the successful regeneration of the area, which includes a number of distinct districts, including Salford Central Station, Chapel Street, Adelphi and the Historic Core, which features the Adelphi and Bexley Square Conservation Area and listed buildings such as St Philips Church and Salford Cathedral.

The Chapel Street area occupies a key location and is the western gateway, which links the rest of Salford, including MediaCityUK, through to Manchester city centre.  The plans would see Chapel Street restored, improving the setting of its historic buildings and putting the heart back into Salford.

The proposed development is centred on creating sustainable communities with the correct balance of uses.  New offices, commercial, retail and leisure uses will be complemented by family housing and apartments linked by high-quality public realm and civic spaces. 

A new square, St Johns Place, is planned to maximise the view of the newly renovated Salford Cathedral.  A new Commercial Quarter will make the most of Salford’s strategic location next to Spinningfields and the corporate heart of Manchester.

Chris Farrow, Chief Executive of Central Salford Urban Regeneration Company, said: “Today’s decision marks a critical milestone in the regeneration of this key area of the city. Over the last 2 years Central Salford Urban Regeneration Company, in close partnership with our public and private sector partners, local businesses and communities, has worked tirelessly on the planning, design and consultation for the Chapel Street area. 

“We can now look forward to driving forward the regeneration of the Chapel Street area to create a vibrant, urban centre and a more beautiful setting for its many historical and natural assets.” 

The floor space for the proposed development includes: 849 new homes, 390 hotel rooms, 24,000 square metres of retail, food and drink and entertainment space and 197,000 square metres of office space.

Cllr Derek Antrobus, Salford City Council lead member for planning said: "This is an ambition of local people, local businesses as well as the local council.  We are delighted our vision to restore Salford's city centre has been taken a step forward today by the approval of this planning application."

The application takes into consideration planning guidance to protect and contribute to the key views in Salford and many of the key vistas will be maximised.  Public realm will also play a key part in the regeneration of Central Salford with cycle routes, footpaths and new open spaces included in the design.

The zones in the planning application include:

Irwell Quays
This area is next to Manchester City Centre, bound to the north by Trinity Way and to the south by the River Irwell, it consists of hard standing and some scrubland while the topography is mainly flat.  A new commercial district at Irwell Quays is planned with new office development and ground floor commercial or retail use as well as a multi-storey car park. New pedestrian and cycle routes, riverside walk link to the Commercial Quarter to the north and the residential area and riverside open space to south in the Irwell Quays Residential area.

Commercial Quarter
This area is to the east of the Quays and is bound by Salford Central train station to the north and a continuation of the River Irwell to the south. It consists of a large surface car park to the south of the station and office blocks.  The Commercial Quarter will have its own distinct identity benefiting from its unique location next to the River Irwell, historic railway arches and its proximity to city routes. A new pedestrian bridge crossing the Irwell and linking the Quarter to Spinningfields is planned as well as a new square, riverside walkway and cycle route linked to Irwell City Park. New public realm will feature throughout the area linking the Irwell Quays, Salford Station and Gore Street.  There will be potential for a hotel providing up to 250 bed spaces and a new multi-storey car park. The Mark Addy public house will be redeveloped and Riverside House will be retained for commercial and leisure use.

Irwell Quays Residential
Located southwest of Irwell Quays this area is the final development zone located along the river. A linear zone, it is bound by Trinity Way to the north and the river to the south.  The focus for the area is a new apartment led residential development on the banks of the River Irwell. Elsewhere public realm will be developed with new open space, a riverside walk linking to the Manchester, Bolton, Bury canal and new cycle routes will be provided as part of Irwell River Park.

Gore Street
A mix of uses are proposed for Gore Street, located to the north of Central Station and connected to the Commercial Quarter to the south via pedestrian routes through the railway viaduct. It will be led by new office development positioned to benefit from the neighbouring station and Commercial Quarter. There is the potential for a new boutique hotel with up to 140 bed spaces, and a landmark building fronting on to Chapel Street.  The Egerton Arms Hotel pub and the Brown Brothers buildings will remain, the later converted for commercial/ office use.

Chapel Street South
Land south of Chapel Street will be the focus for new development with a mix of uses for office, commercial, retail and residential providing an active frontage on to Chapel Street.  Alongside this new development the vacant Bell Tower and Ye Olde Nelson public houses will be retained and converted for commercial/leisure use.  A mix of apartments above new commercial, retail and office floor space will be provided to ensure active frontages on to Chapel Street, in a series of individual buildings and blocks, some with private courtyards.  The retail, office and studio floor space will be focused on the promotion of creative and local business.  Elsewhere the focus will be on family town houses linked to Islington Estate and provision of new local shopping provision for the community, including a neighbourhood supermarket.

Chapel Street North
The area is the historic core of Salford City Centre and includes the Adelphi and Bexley Square Conservation Area. No changes are proposed to existing buildings.  However, improved public realm, streets and footpaths are planned with a new civic square and public space improving the setting of St Philip’s church.

St Philips Church NE
Located to the north east of Grade II* listed St Philip’s church, the area comprises cleared land of former homes and residential town houses. Family town houses are proposed for an area of currently underused cleared space alongside a small number of apartments, reinstating the traditional urban streets.

St Philips Church SE
Situated north of Chapel Street the area currently comprises a row of existing modern properties bound by Great George Street to the east and St Philips place to the west. Peel Park Inn and listed Manchester and Salford Savings Bank Public House, which fronts on to Chapel Street will be retained and reused for commercial/ office use. New family town houses will be provided on the cleared land and part of Bank Street to formally enclose St Philip's church square.

Islington Park
The park consists of green space with pedestrian routes through it and is located to the south of Chapel Street. Improvements will be made to the park with an additional area of civic space to enhance and widen the park.

Chapel Street Highways Zone
Central to the proposals along Chapel Street is a new square, St John's Place, opposite the cathedral incorporating Chapel Street, which aims to emphasise the setting of Salford Cathedral.  Alongside this the aim is to reduce the dominance of vehicles and provide greater space for pedestrians and create better links across the highway reconnecting the historic core with the existing community on the south side. 

Adelphi Street
This area, situated to the north of the former Salford Royal hospital, which has been successfully converted into apartments on Chapel Street, is currently vacant. The site here, which has planning consent, will see a residential-led mixed use development of apartments with some townhouses and commercial space around a central courtyard

Ends

Media contact: Margaret Blackburn at Creative Concern 0161 236 0600 margaret@creativeconcern.com

Notes to Editors

English Cities Fund (ECf) was created by the government to identify and break through the barriers to institutional investment and pave the way for higher levels of private investment in the re-shaping of our towns and cities.

ECf aims to show that high-quality, mixed-use, area-based regeneration schemes provide viable, attractive and worthwhile opportunities for institutional investors in the medium to long term, alongside lasting community benefits and environmental improvements.

The three partners are Muse Developments, Legal & General and the Homes & Communities Agency.

Central Salford Urban Regeneration Company was established by Salford City Council, the Northwest Regional Development Agency and the national regeneration agency, English Partnerships (now the Homes and Communities Agency) in 2005 and is responsible for bringing about the transformation of Central Salford into the most beautiful, vibrant and prosperous part of the City
 
An Urban Regeneration Company (URC) is a not-for-profit company set-up to attract investment and create prosperity in less wealthy areas. Different URCs across the country may achieve this in different ways. In Central Salford, the main job for the URC is to transform the local economy and opportunities for local people, make the area more attractive, radically improve its image and enhance Salford’s many public spaces and waterways.

For more information regarding the Vision and Regeneration Framework for Central Salford visit: www.centralsalford.com