Salford submits Chapel Street CPO

Salford City Council has submitted a compulsory purchase order to buy areas of land for English Cities Fund's redevelopment of the Chapel Street area.

Cllr John Merry, leader of Salford City Council, said: "We have made a compulsory purchase order to facilitiate the regeneration of the Salford Central area, in line with the planning permission granted last year to English Cities Fund.

"This order is an important step towards the transformation of the area, including making significant improvements along Chapel Street. English Cities Fund have already been in discussions with the vast majority of owners and occupiers in the area for some time, and will continue to seek to reach agreement with those affected."

The CPO covers sites and buildings within Chapel Street, as well as Islington Street, Adelphi Street, Bank Place and Bank Street, amongst others, the council said.

Buildings such as The Bell Tower, Peel Park Inn and Ye Old Nelson pubs, all currently derelict; and the Mark Addy pub are amongst those covered by the CPO.

English Cities Fund, a joint venture between Muse Developments, Legal & General and the Homes & Communities Agency, plans a £650m scheme delivering more than 2m sq ft of commercial space and residential and hotels.

Funding of £8.97m from the North West Development Agency and a further £1.79m under the European Regional Development Fund, was put towards the plans in March last year.

The planning application was the largest ever to be submitted in Salford by English Cities Fund.

English Cities Fund started work on highways and public realm in the area at the end of last year.

The work also complemented plans around the River Irwell area being led by Central Salford Urban Regeneration Company.

Central Salford URC will close in March.

The council said it will pick up work from the urban regeneration company to ensure the regeneration Central Salford URC started continues to move forward.