ECF progresses first phase of £2.5bn Salford Crescent
The development consortium plans to deliver 1.6m sq ft of innovation space and up to 950 homes across a 27-acre chunk of the masterplan.
English Cities Fund has lodged an environmental impact assessment scoping report with Salford City Council, a precursor to the submission of a planning application, that outlines what the scheme, known as Innovation Zone North, will comprise.
With construction expected to begin towards the end of 2023 and last for 10 years, ECF hopes to deliver the following elements between Broughton Road East and University Road across buildings reaching up to 11 storeys:
- 1.6m sq ft of commercial innovation floorspace
- 950 homes
- 66,000 sq ft of learning facilities,
- A 260,000 sq ft multistorey movement hub
- 27,000 sq ft of space earmarked for cafes, shops and drinking establishments.
Another key feature of the development is Salford Rise, a near five-acre podium to be constructed over Frederick Road to unlock development potential in the area. The infrastructure project received £13m in Levelling Up funding.
The Crescent masterplan covers 252 acres. Credit: via masterplan documents
The creation of Innovation Zone North – one of seven zones within the 252-acre Crescent masterplan – would see the demolition of all existing buildings except Salford Innovation Forum, according to planning documents prepared by CBRE.
This part of the £2.5bn regeneration project provides “a unique opportunity to capitalise on the concept of a living lab”, the documents state.
This means a location where “innovation, community, research and business are intertwined to develop a real-world test bed for new innovations that support the ambition of developing healthier living”.
An outline planning application for Innovation Zone North is expected in the coming weeks.
Other highlights of the Crescent masterplan include plans to pedestrianise the A6 and create an integrated transport interchange featuring a Metrolink station that would provide connectivity between the university and Salford Quays.
The project team for the Salford Crescent masterplan includes consultancy CBRE, Make Architects, infrastructure firm Aecom, landscape architects Planit-IE, quantity surveyor and project manager Faithful + Gould, and consultancy Cundall.
This is very exciting, can’t wait.
By Anonymous
Any plans for redeveloping actual Salford City Centre though? It’s much needed!
By Salford Independent
Where is Salford city centre.?
By Anonymous
There is an actual Salford city centre, it starts in Manchester City centre from around Greengate and grows out to the crescent and Middlewoid locks where all of this work is going on .We don’t actually operate a border policy it’s just the city centre and its the the western part of the rest of the city centre. Of course those of us who actually live here know all that and that it’s all developing very nicely looking at those plans!
By Darren
Salford City Centre is where the Salford precinct (aka Salford Shopping City) is! I’m not sure this website is for you if you don’t know that…
By Salford Independent
Salford’s historical city centre is where the cathedral is around Chapel Street, that is why there are so many grand buildings there. Salford Precinct, is Pendleton.
By Elephant
We’ll that looks like a great plan although I hope they don’t impinge the crescent any more. Getting into Manchester every morning is hard enough already.
By Anonymous
its salford precinct – its not the city centre
By salfordian
This is impressive stuff and all being done as part of the central master plan shown on the council’s website developing over 20 years. Oh and It really is a long time since anyone could sensibly consider shopping city as the ‘centre’ and thankfully we’ve all moved on from that largely due to so much investment pouring into Manchester over the past 25 or so years.
By Anonymous
Lots of links on the council website showing the scale of all of this work, and very impressive too. Yes , as others have probably pointed out Pendleton precinct is not the Borough centre, it never was. Historically it was from around Greengate where some of those skyscrapers are going now, up past the Cathedral. Of course these days it’s all merged into one including really not that long ago separate towns and boroughs like Broughton, Pendleton, Monton, Swinton etc. History is fascinating stuff , nice to visit but I’m glad I live now.
By Simon
Can’t wait for them to pedestrianise the Crescent – why should Salfords historical serve as a rat run into Manchester…
By Stu
Salford is fast becoming the North West second city after Manchester.
By Anonymous
It’s great that Salford both grows and thinks about the opportunity a bit differently from Manchester.
By Rich X
Correct. Those that say that Salford city centre is along Chapel St / Cathedral area. It was the old civic centre of Salford. Old town hall. School Board. Courts. Cathedral. Read Hobsons Choice and you’ll hear about lots of these areas around there
By Salford Born and Bred
It’s great that the city centre is expanding out in this direction as well as Ancoats and the North. It’s somewhat constrained by the Mancunian way in parts of the south , Oxford Rd corridor excepted, but the level of investment here really is beginning to make a difference. I just hope the crescent is utilised better in the future plans when it comes to transport.
By Worsley flyer
Is anyone aware of any updates on this? I haven’t seen any news that construction for the innovation district or for Salford Rise have started
By Anonymous