Campaigners defeated as Salford approves 78-storey skyscraper
A commitment from developer Henley Investment Management to deliver 660 social homes as part of the 10-tower, 3,300-home redevelopment of Regent Retail Park was enough to convince the city council’s planning committee to approve the contentious application.
Despite strong opposition from residents in nearby Ordsall and Salford MP Rebecca Long-Bailey, Salford City Council approved plans to regenerate the tired big box retail park this morning at the second time of asking.
A decision on Henley’s £1.3bn GDV scheme, which features a 78-storey skyscraper, was deferred in July after two and a half hours of discussion as dissenting voices won the day.
The debate
Passions at today’s meeting were high. One objector said the sheer number of apartments would create a “concrete jungle” and the project would “sound the death knell of Ordsall as we know it now”. Another described a “mistrust” of Henley’s plans and a said they would have a “profound negative effect”.
Local councillor Brendan Keville said Henley had failed to appreciate that Regent Retail Park is “the heart of Ordsall” and blasted the developer for failing to liaise with the local community.
“This is not regeneration it is speculation. A developer-led experiment in density,” he said.
Long-Bailey is not against the principle of redevelopment but urged Henley to go back to the drawing board.
“If we get this right, it could be transformational for Salford and the community but if we rush and get it wrong, it could devastate the very fabric our community relies on,” she said.
Jay Squier, managing director of Henley, said Henley was committed to delivering the project, which he described as a “once-in-a-generation” opportunity, in the right way.
He added that the project, which delivers homes on brownfield land, aligns with both local and national planning policy.
“If not here then where and if not now during a national housing crisis, then when?” Squier said.
A 2.5-acre park forms part of the proposal. Credit: Mode Visuals
The decision
After two hours of discussion, a decision in favour – in line with officer recommendations – was reached. Members voted seven to three in favour.
The approval was thanks largely thanks to the developer’s commitment to deliver 20% of the total homes as affordable as part of a lease agreement with the city council.
It is understood most, if not all of these homes, could be available for social rent but objectors say they have been given no guarantees. Squier said Salford City Council would have “full control” over the affordable element under the terms of the lease.
Cllr Mike McCusker spoke in support of the application, saying that 660 social rented homes would be a “gamechanger” and make a big dent in Salford City Council’s housing waiting list.
The scheme, designed by Matt Brook Architects with LDA leading on landscape design and Savills on planning, was announced in 2023 and features what would be the tallest tower in the UK outside London.
While even some objectors concede the site in its current form – big box retail and a large car park – is an inefficient use of space, Henley’s plans have proved unpopular with large sections of the local community who have felt that their concerns have fallen on deaf ears.
The loss of local shops has caused particular angst while concerns about parking, traffic, and the potential for an influx of around 5,000 residents to overwhelm local infrastructure have also endured.
The 78-storey tower would be taller than anything in the UK outside London currently standing or under development. Credit: Mode Visuals
The site, allocated for redevelopment under Salford’s local plan, currently comprises 118,000 sq ft of retail space occupied by the likes of Home Bargains, Boots, and several charity shops.
These will be demolished to make way for Henley’s 10-building development.
After initial backlash, the developer has repeatedly said it plans to deliver almost as much retail space – 100,000 sq ft – in the new development and has invited existing retailers back to be a part of it.
However, this, along with the project’s other benefits – a 2.5-acre central park, first refusal to the NHS on a 7,000 sq ft unit, and paid for parking permit scheme for local residents for five years – have struggled to cut through.
Speaking to Place North West in October, Henley conceded it had regrets over how the process had played out. Hattie Charlier-Poole, development director at Henley, said that, if she had her time again, she would have done more to engage with the local community earlier in the process.
Following the approval Ian Rickwood, chief executive at Henley Investment Management, said: “Our approved scheme for Regent Park will deliver a new green and sustainable neighbourhood, a renewed local centre for Salford.
“Our plans recognise the importance of retail and services for the community, retaining significant enhanced provision that will cater to the needs of local people, while delivering much needed high-quality homes, including a significant proportion of affordable homes, a new park, a village square and community forum.
“We look forward to continuing to work with Salford City Council, stakeholders and the local community to deliver our vision.”
Related Articles
Just think when this is built, Liverpool will be still having another consultation on its so called clusters!!!! let that sink in.
By Anonymous
”plans to regenerate the tired big box retail park this morning at the second time of asking.” Tired would seem to be the developers preferred label, not the opinion of the people who think its the heart of the community. If you are going to use the word maybe put it in quotation marks to indicate its a line being pedalled rather than an acknowledged fact.
By Dave
I’m all for development but those are some ugly looking towers. Did they copy and paste Arndale House?
By Hamza
Oh wow, wasn’t expecting that. Quite big news and I actually quite like some of the designs. Interesting how the retail will more or less be replaced.
By Anonymous
Absolutely fantastic news! Well done Salford City Council – hopefully the catalyst for further regeneration and development up the Liverpool St / Regent Rd corridor
By Verticality
Agree with @Hamza, all for development but blimey they’re uninspiring. The same tepid design just at different heights.
By Tom
Calling the retail park “the heart of Salford” is laughable.
By Local
A bit OTT IMO.
By Just saying?
This is amazing news! A result for sensibility and inward investment to a forgotten-about part of our cities. Great architecture too, breaking the stranglehold of Simpson:Haugh’s polite but increasingly grey, samey and dull architecture. Let’s get on with it!
By Yay!
Dave – the retail park is a dump, massively under-invested in and ripe for change. It’s an eyesore.
By Not Dave
As a local living here for 25 plus years I’m absolutely supportive of this scheme and excited by the proposals. I shop at the current retail park and it’s tired, struggling (number of charity shops/empty units highlights that) and would likely become vacant and more run down over time. If the new developers can get the retail proposition right (I.e. what existing and new community needs) then this will be an amazing development – literally game changing for Salford. I can’t wait to see it progress.
By Anonymous
Yes. Poundland and CRUK charity shop retail park is the ‘heart of Salford’. Where do we find these people.
Finally the Council saw sense!
By DenseCity
Fantastic news. This whole area is dreadful today. A terrible use of space so close to the city centre and this will certainly be an improvement. I do think though that Metrolink somehow needs to reach this area, or the trainline behind it needs to add a stop once it becomes part of the Bee Network
By EOD
This will be built before the
King Edward Triangle in Liverpool. Manchester is the second city now and its not close.
By Show ambition Liverpool
More like a clay jungle – mix it up a bit on the elevations or risk this becoming a massive blight on the city’s skyline
By Anonymous
All this over a JD sports! 25 min walk to St Peter’s square – you’d be daft to own a car there.
By H
600 social homes is a huge win for Salford, regardless of the other concessions from the developer like replicating the retail space available. @Dave, if you think a retail park is the heart of a community you need to get out more. Regent’s Park is a tired, car centric space who’s only value to Salford is a Sainsburys!
By Dan
Minecraft City Babyyyy
By Troth
Super news. Not sure this will ever be built but hope so.
By Bob
Salford has more cranes in the Sky than Liverpool.
By Jerry
Although I am glad in principle that this has been agreed, I am not fully convinced of the material for the towers, they might look better in the flesh. However, the jobs that they will create are to be welcomed.
By Elephant
Who cares? Pie in the sky outline flip scheme
By Anonymous
You see this ambition in New York and Tokyo. As a Scouser it’s embarrassing how far behind Liverpool is. No doubt work will start in a few weeks.
By Peter D
The sky is the limit! fix the housing market by building tall. excited for this one.
By GGC
Agree this unremarkable news. Site will be flipped ASAP.
By Anonymous
An excellent decision that will help spur much needed growth in the region!
By Anonymous
I wasn’t always in favour of this development, but the changes see to be good ones. This retail park is well used (including by myself) if, and its a big if, the existing retailers return especially boots…that would be a big plus for me.
By Manc Man
Wonderful news for Manchester/ Salford!! Keep up the modernisation…
By Ashley
I understand the frustated comments talking about Liverpool that waterfront would look epic with Skyscrapers like this. Manchester is 20 years ahead and that gap is growing. Sort it out LCC and Steve Rotheram.
By Billy Murray
I quite like the colours and textures but obviously this depends on the quality of the cladding.
The skyline will become really interesting once they start connecting the clusters and incorporating different shapes, colours and textiles to blend the clusters together. You can see the change in colour of the architecture in the third image.
Obviously (Greater) Manchester isn’t just building an odd few talls it’s creating serious density throughout and on the edges of the city centre. It will look completely different again in another 10 years.
By Anonymous
Well at least it’s not in Manchester. Congratulations Salford. Birmingham is the Second city
By Stephen Houghton
Liverpool is still better looking though !!!
By Anonymous
A terrible loss for the local community. This retail park has been used for decades by local families whose children play in the car park, and is a meeting spot for locals to socialise and shop at the affordable retail units. There is a reason this is known as the heart of Salford.
By Anonymous
Great news but different shapes and colour would have been better
By Jack
Wow, calling the retail park the heat of Salford is nothing to be proud of and is laughable in fact. These so called Councillors are delusional!
By Steve
To the comment that Manchester is now the second city. This is not true.
But let’s leave that topic to Birmingham and London to debate between themselves 😙
By Anonymous
Have’nt they learned from the past that high rise housing blocks destroyed communities and had a negative impact on people’s mental health? Why is it all happening again?
By Anonymous
I am not from Salford, but drive through all of Manchester for a living. I love the fact that it’s an ever growing city. ❤️
By Anonymous
I think it should get built but it needs a redesign especially the tallest tower
By Michael
If they need homes why did they tear down almost an entire estate of modern(ish) houses near the precinct?
By Anonymous
Yet again the options of actual people of ordsall have been ignorrd
By Anonymous
“Children play in the car park.” Amazing line of defence of a retail park.
By Anonymous
Surely London is the second city with Greater Manchester the first!
By Anonymous
What about the needs of the local people
Already 1000s and 1000s moved into high rise flats in this area.
No parking
No improved bus service
Sainsbury’s staying so no competition
The people of Salfod do not want this.
By AHB
All those towers look very similar, tall and grey just like giant “Tomb stones”.
Asian cities have greater diversity and colour in their buildings.
By Man on bicycle
Such a shame will completely ruin the area getting rid of tk maxx and all of that parking
By Anonymous
Never thought Liverpool would be behind Salford. Fair play to the Northern powerhouse that is Greater Manchester. Shows what a bit of vision can achieve.
By O
@ Anonymous 6.10pm, ” Liverpool is better looking”, only because the people who made it that way were bold entrepreneurs with ambition, taste, and vision. Liverpool needs to get with the times, yes conserve your great architecture, but stop looking to the past and thinking you are entitled to a future. Manchester shows nerve and as we know “fortune favours the brave”.
By Anonymous
What welcome news – well done to all officers & Cllrs.
By Anonymous
Fantastic news. This will be a gamechanger for the area. However the only chance this has got of getting built is either flipping to SalBoy or Renaker, or going into JV with one/both. No disrespect to Henley but a quick look at their capabilities and they have no chance of delivering this on their own.
By Mr Mcr
Henley Investment Management will build then sell on…
Any issues will be for Salford Council not Henley…..
The builders just build and leave…….
660 social rent….exactly what does that mean…
I would have liked to have seen all properties floor space, layout…amenities…facilities…parking…schools…
2.5 acre green space is miniscule in my opinion amongst a £1.5 billion scheme….
And how much will Salford Council receive from Henley re local schools…medical facilities…transport…all necessary and upgraded
By Roy
Whilst I am all for renovating and regenerating existing housing stock, some houses/apartments have been torn town because they aren’t fit for purpose anymore and riddled with problems. If people were subject to live in them, you’d complain about that.
Also, Liverpool is welcome to being the prettiest city. Manchester has the balls and everything that goes with it.
By Anonymous
Another 600 “affordable” homes, how many of these will remain empty until some quango buys and operates them? Or are we adding these to the already 17, 000 empty homes across the country.
By Steve5839
It was inevitable really, it’s just the city centre expanding outwards. Lots of apartments around there now and the talls of Gt Jackson st are just a few hundred yards around the Mancunian way. Now for the next one 90 stories or more…where are we going to put that one..and when we do can it have some setback and a pointy bit. Asking for a friend .
By King Kongs mate
@ Anonymous 6:13pm. . I may be becoming jaded but I can’t decide if that comment is satire or not
By Clouded Leopard
at 12:09 pm But yeh still not pretty!!!!
By Anonymous
Ordsall, you got your shops, retail and medical facilities with the development on Phoebe Street, including a Morrisons (now empty). Why do you need Regent Park as well?
By Loganberry
But who is going to live in them?
By Liverpool romance
Looks like a copy and paste city in China now. Not a single flare of architecture in those buildings
By Quail
Amusing. The leases all have a while to run, they’ll flip to one of the big 2 skyscraper builders claiming viability challenges, who will ‘carefully redesign ‘ the scheme. Affordable content Will require significant HE grant and given scale will be pared back significantly. Flipper will pocket enhanced land value.
By Mystic meg
“Children play in the car park” – We must protect all car parks nationwide for children to play in
Car parks almost as important train tracks and asbestos for childhood enjoyment
By Save the Children’s Play Space
This scheme will not achieve gateway 2 because of the inherent fire issues (scissor stairs in towers, scissor flats in the mid rise). When these issues are resolved the masterplan will break.
By Anonymous
Ohhhhh this Is Defenitely a good day for giant skyscraper fan!, I love this Development it’s going to be big and for those who keep saying they want the shops, those shops are outdated and soon they need to change them, But the sainsbury’s so people that live in this new development don’t have to drive there and could just walk there and it will still be kept so it’s a win win And the park isn’t really the best thing to be kept as in this Development has already built a lot of green space So Give it A rest residents around this area. Asides from that A 264m skyscraper is Good news For Salford! But The next tower in Salford should be atleast above 180m and for Manchester It’s about time! A Supertall skyscraper!!!!!
By Giant skyscraper Fan
Yup sadly not a supertall, but we are getting there And a 78 storey tower for Salford is a huge upgrade for the skyline And we still have the One heritage tower in greengate(which I’m I can’t wait to see) is still taking long to deal with.Renaker is tryna build more towers around the area I think. But I think the other areas of Salford need a huge regeneration with grid layout roads like Manhattan that is easier to manage and navigate,but a financial district with offices aswell. But it’s funny that people in that area say “The Park is the Heart of Salford” what a good joke but also a Silly way to protect the park that’s like saying one Monmument is the Heart of London and when it is Taken the city isn’t great anymore. But anyways Great proposal!!
By Supertall speciality
There’s a lot of excitement about a 273m tower in this development. However, the plans refer to a height of 273m AOD (above ordnance datum), i.e. above mean sea level. As the land surface here is about 30m AOD, this would give a tower 243m tall, which is certainly high but just shy of the Viadux 2 tower at 245m tall (and 281m AOD). Perhaps PNW could seek clarity from the developer as to how tall the tower will actually be?
By Mike in Cumbria