Consultation next week for Salford’s Crescent masterplan

Salford City Council and the University of Salford have revealed further details of their joint masterplan for The Crescent ahead of public consultation sessions next week.

The partnership vision, which has been put together by architect 5plus, splits the area into five development zones, including an innovation district, a health village, housing ranging from family homes to a 30-storey tower, and a civic and cultural gateway celebrating the area’s culture and heritage assets. The zones are split out as:

Adelphi: Low to medium density housing including new family housing with gardens, a new apartment building and the potential conversion of Adelphi House to residential. This area could also be the location for a primary school.

The Crescent: A new residential district supported by local neighbourhood stores and independent cafes and restaurants. Around 1,200 homes are already on site or are consented in the area.

The Crescent is to include the gateway, using the listed assets The Old Fire Station, Salford Museum and Art Gallery, Peel Hall, Joule House and the Working Class Movement Library, along with a new conferencing and events centre at Maxwell Hall.

Peel Park: New development would be concentrated on the Frederick Road and Peel Park campus with three new buildings for The School of the Built Environment; The Salford Business School and a new Digital Learning Commons. There is the potential for further expansion on a plot behind the Peel Building and proposals for 700 more student bed-spaces.

Health Village: The opportunity for a health village set within landscaped realm providing health, science and technology related teaching and research clustered around the existing University provision in Health, Midwifery and Nursing. GP practices and existing services would be developed.

There is also the potential for a new transport interchange at Salford Crescent Station with a new concourse and bridge to the Peel Park Campus.

Innovation District: The main employment area within the masterplan, offering incubation and enterprise space to start-ups and SMEs. Current low-quality business units would be demolished to make way for flexible buildings that could respond to the needs of technology and industry and help drive innovation and collaboration.

A key theme of the masterplan is for a radical improvement of the public realm, establishing strong physical links with surrounding areas with new walking and cycling routes connecting through the campus to The Meadow and Peel Park. It also includes a planned linear park running along the canal route behind The Crescent.

Public sessions will be held on Wednesday 8 August between 12pm and 8pm at the New Adelphi Building, University Road, Salford, and on Saturday 11 August between 10am and 1pm at the Old Fire Station, The Crescent.

Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett said: “This is an ambitious masterplan that combines the resources of both university and city to create a truly integrated new city district that will open up new education and training opportunities and provide a host of spin-off benefits to the adjoining neighbourhoods and city region.”

Jason Challender, director of estates at the University of Salford, said: “This masterplan will transform the A6 corridor and the surrounding area for the decades to come. It is a real partnership with the council and the local community so we are keen to hear what people think.”

Comments received through the consultation will help inform a future development framework for the 245-acre area.

The Adelphi and The Crescent elements will be developed with private sector partners and a detailed prospectus will be issued in early autumn with a view to appointment of a partner or consortium in spring 2019.

Iain Jenkinson, senior director with CBRE said: “This is a unique opportunity. The site includes 15 hectares that have been identified for a major new residential and cultural destination and there are no other development sites of similar scope and scale that are ready to go anywhere in the UK.

“There has been a huge amount of interest since The Crescent masterplan was launched at MIPM 2018 and we continue to talk to interested parties and will be doing so in more detail when the prospectus is launched in the autumn.”