MIPIM | Salford starts search for £800m masterplan partner
The city council has kicked off the search for a private sector partner to help deliver the Crescent masterplan with a developer or a consortium of partners due to be appointed by the end of the year.
The 240-acre site covers much of the University of Salford’s existing campus, areas around the Crescent, Peel Park, and Frederic Road North.
Overall, the University’s estate extends north and south of The Crescent, taking in the listed elements of the Musuem & Art Gallery, to Salford Crescent station and includes green spaces at the Meadows, Peel Park and the David Lewis Sports Ground.
The masterplan was first announced 12 months ago, and the city council has now formally started the search for a private sector partner to help deliver the vision, with expressions of interest opening in the coming weeks.
The timeline was set out at a panel event at the MIPIM property conference in Cannes, featuring Salford City Council leader Jim Taylor; Phil Mayall of Muse; Iain Jenkinson of CBRE; and Jon Corner, chief digital officer of Salford City Council. The panel was chaired by Place North West editor Jessica Middleton-Pugh.
Jenkinson of CBRE, which is advising the council on the search for a partner, said the opportunity was one of the largest in the country: “Where else in the UK would you find a site of this size with core city centre assets as part of a masterplan? The scale of this opportunity sets it apart.
“The last 12 months have been very busy, with a great deal of community engagement, and that private sector partner will step into a year’s worth of work with plots ready to go”.
Jenkinson added the partner could either be a consortium or a single partner, with the council “not looking to be overly prescriptive” in its approach, although he added: “We’d implore partners not to come with a large design team”.
Architect 5plus has worked with the council and the University of Salford on the masterplan, which is split into five areas. These are:
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.
The masterplan is also being supported by a council bid for Homes England Housing Infrastructure Fund backing in the region of £20m.
Place North West’s coverage of MIPIM is brought to you in association with Macbryde Homes
