Plans in for £68m Salford Business School

The latest phase of the University of Salford’s estate regeneration is an 80,000 sq ft education building on the south side of the A6 Crescent.

English Cities Fund, the joint venture between Muse, L&G, and Homes England’s National Housing Bank, has submitted plans for the £68m project to Salford City Council on behalf of the university.

The building would be constructed on the site of Crescent House, which would be pulled down to pave the way for the BDP-designed scheme.

Designs have been in the works since 2025. An early iteration of the scheme proposed retaining Crescent House and building a cantilevered new-build extension next door.

This idea was scrapped due to “uncertainties relating to the condition, capacity, design life and fire resistance of the existing frame”, according to planning documents.

The submitted scheme proposes a spaced labelled a ‘Knowledge Exchange’ as well as flexible event and conferencing spaces and food and beverage facilities on the ground floor with more formal teaching spaces on the upper levels of the five-storey building.

The aim of the project is to bring Salford’s business students together under one roof to “enhance the student and staff experience and provide a future-proofed environment that supports modern teaching, research, and enterprise activities”, according to planning documents.

It is hoped that the new building – featuring modern teaching spaces and break out areas – can elevate the status of Salford’s business offering.

Morgan Sindall Construction has been appointed to build the business school, adding to its growing list of jobs at the university’s growing estate. Others include the SEE Building and a new hub for the uni’s acoustics department.

To learn more about the scheme, search for reference number PA/2026/1444 on Salford City Council’s planning portal.

BDP has led on design, planning, noise, energy, drainage, and heritage. Stroma, GEA, and PP O’Connor are also advising.