Salford at 100 | Shaping a second century of opportunity

With centenary celebrations now underway, Salford marks 100 years since receiving its Royal Charter.  It’s a moment to reflect but more importantly to look ahead at how we’re shaping the city’s next century, writes Kurt Partington of Salford City Council.

Growth driven by partnership

Salford has always been defined by industry, resilience, and ambition. That hasn’t changed.  Over the last 10 years, we’ve added 55,000 jobs, a 45% increase, the fastest growth of any Greater Manchester authority or Core City. That progress has been driven by partnership-led regeneration across Salford Central, Greengate, Salford Quays, and MediaCity, proof of what happens when public ambition and private investment align.

Today, Salford is a £10.7bn economy, with growth more than double the England average. That success is no accident, it’s the result of long-term planning and commitment to build a city where innovation, culture, and community thrive together.

A cultural and economic powerhouse

Over the past decade, Salford has emerged as a cultural and economic force. MediaCity continues to lead in digital and broadcasting. The Lowry sits at the heart of our cultural life, while RHS Garden Bridgewater celebrates its fifth year, having welcomed more than 2.49 million visitors since opening in 2021. Meanwhile, Middlewood Locks reaches its tenth anniversary at the halfway point of its journey.

From ambition to delivery

Few places capture Salford’s approach better than Middlewood Locks. This £1bn regeneration has transformed 25 acres of brownfield land into a thriving neighbourhood of over 2,600 residents. It has reconnected forgotten waterways, linked Salford to the city centre, and created a vibrant, mixed community.

The next phase will bring 909 homes, commercial space, a hotel, and new public realm, repurpose unused railway arches, and continue a model focused on sustainability and long-term place-making.

If Middlewood Locks reflects delivery, Crescent Salford defines our ambition.

This £1bn+ innovation district will support up to 7,000 jobs, deliver 1.5m sq ft of workspace, and more than 3,000 homes. Crucially, it’s already happening.

The first homes at Willohaus in Adelphi Village are nearing completion, bringing 100 affordable, Passivhaus-standard properties to the city.

Salford Rise is transforming connectivity across the area, creating new public realm and knitting communities back together.

Meanwhile, innovation assets such as the new Acoustics building, alongside investments from the University of Salford, including the opening of the Greater Manchester Institute of Technology and the forthcoming Thrive Health and Wellbeing Centre, are anchoring the district in research, skills, and future industries.

Together, these developments position Crescent Salford as a globally relevant innovation hub, with visible progress already taking shape on the ground.

Building the next century

What connects these projects (Middlewood Locks, Crescent Salford, and many others), is a commitment to generational city-building. We are not starting from scratch; we are building on a legacy. The Royal Charter of 1926 recognised a place defined by enterprise and civic ambition. A century later, those same qualities are evident in our focus on innovation, connectivity, and inclusive growth.

Over the past decade, Salford’s population has grown by 36,000, more than double the national rate and the highest in the North. People are choosing Salford.

This is not growth for its own sake; it reflects a city that people are actively choosing to live in, work in, and invest in.

With that comes responsibility. Growth must be carefully managed to ensure it benefits existing communities as much as new ones. It must deliver affordable housing, high-quality public spaces, and genuine access to opportunity. Above all, it must remain aligned with Salford’s long-established principle that the welfare of the people is its highest law, while staying grounded in the values that have consistently defined the city: fairness, resilience, and ambition.

As someone who has over 30 years working across planning, development, and regeneration in this city, I have seen the change first-hand. But what is most striking now is not just the pace of transformation, it is the confidence behind it. We are no longer simply responding to change; we are shaping it.

Salford at 100 is not a conclusion. It is a pivot point. From the steady delivery of Middlewood Locks to the transformative potential of Crescent Salford, the city is laying the groundwork for its second century with clarity and purpose for the people of this city.

The next chapter of Salford’s story is already being written and it is one of innovation, connection, and opportunity on a scale that matches the ambition of its past, while looking firmly to the future.

• Kurt Partington is the director of regeneration at Salford City Council