Refresh of tired University of Salford asset moves ahead
The Crescent Partnership – made up of ECF and the city’s council and university – has secured approval to revamp Faraday House into a hub for uni staff.
The scheme forms part of the ongoing £2.5bn regeneration of Salford University’s estate and surrounding land. In total, the masterplan covers 240 acres and aims to deliver 3,000 homes and 1,5m sq ft of workspace over the coming years.
Faraday House will provide 35,000 sq ft of that lofty target following its refurbishment and forms part of the university’s Campus Connectivity Plan, the redevelopment of its research, teaching, and public spaces.
Other ongoing projects on campus, including the creation of a new home for the university’s acoustics department, and others that have completed – like the Greater Manchester Institute of Technology – are part of the same initiative as Faraday.
Mark Wantling, chief infrastructure officer at the University of Salford, said: “It’s great news that we have the green light to start work on Faraday, bringing an established building on the Crescent back to life at the same time as providing a welcoming new environment for our professional services teams.”
Starting out life as the headquarters for the Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers, Faraday House on the A6 has been part of Salford University’s estate for around 50 years.
It has been vacant for the last few and earlier this year architect PRP worked up proposals to bring the asset back into use. OBI has designed the interior while Planit is advising on landscape. To learn more, search for reference number PA/2026/0243 on Salford City Council’s planning portal.
Work is expected to begin on later this year and complete in early 2028.
Simon Hourihan, project director at ECF – the joint venture between Muse, Homes England, and L&G, said: “We look forward to making a start on transforming Faraday into a high-quality, modern workspace now that planning consent has been received.
“Whilst Crescent Salford will bring new homes, infrastructure and facilities to the city, it’s also about retaining and repurposing existing buildings which have played a key role in Salford’s history, giving them a new lease of life for the next chapter.”
Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett added: “The approval of plans to refurbish Faraday is another important step forward in delivering the Crescent Salford vision, bringing new energy and purpose to this vacant building.
“This investment not only supports the university’s growth but also strengthens our wider ambitions to create high-quality jobs, inclusive spaces and a thriving, sustainable community here in Salford. It’s great to see the Crescent partners working together to breathe new life into our city and ensure its continued success for future generations.”
It’s still very run down around there.
By Anonymous
Haha. not sure it’s fair to describe the ‘£2.5bn’ scheme as ongoing! It’s a refurb of a 35k sqft building. Classic Muse/ECF spin
By Anon