ECf’s latest Salford offering underway

John Turner Construction has started work on the next phase of English Cities Fund’s 44-acre Salford Central development around Chapel Street and New Bailey, Buttress-designed townhouses to be called Timekeepers Square.

Named due to its proximity to a number of clock faces, including those at St Philip’s Church, Timekeepers Square will deliver 36 townhouses in a Georgian-style development in keeping with the conservation area off Chapel Street.

Plans for the development were approved in March by Salford City Council.

Already delivered in Salford Central are a new hotel, multi-storey car park, and a 125,000 sq ft office building is under construction at One New Bailey. Apartments opposite Timekeepers Square at Vimto Gardens have also been completed.

English Cities Fund is a joint venture between Muse Developments, Legal & General and the Homes & Communities Agency through an active partnership with Salford City Council.

Phil Mayall, development director of ECf, said: “The city of Salford is benefitting enormously from the changes being brought about by the ongoing regeneration scheme. A key part of this is offering more housing; Vimto Gardens sold out entirely off-plan after it was launched last July and there was a huge demand for the 14 townhouses within the development. Timekeepers Square will offer a mixture of two, three and four-bedroomed townhouses with gardens and parking – a hugely desirable entity in city centre living.”

The development, designed by Buttress Architects, has been composed with the area’s Georgian heritage in mind. Situated within a conservation zone just off Chapel Street, Timekeepers Square is designed to be visually sympathetic to the existing buildings in the area. The 36 houses will be split into six blocks, with a centralised courtyard. Each home will benefit from parking, private garden and or roof terrace, full height windows, some with a Juliet balcony, black zinc roofs, Yorkshire stone paving and landscaping. There will be a mix of sizes with two, three and four bedrooms.

A pedestrianised walkway to the south of the development will offer residents and passers-by a quiet area, sheltered from the bustle of Chapel Street.

Once completed the overall development will contain 2.5m sq ft of office, retail, and leisure space, 849 new homes, and 390 hotel rooms.