Salford eyes former school site for ‘transformational’ housing scheme
St Ambrose Barlow High School moved to Wardley in 2014, leaving the Shaftesbury Road site vacant.
Documents available on Salford City Council’s planning portal outline the authority’s ambition for the former Swinton high school.
They state that the 5.4-acre site has become the target of anti-social behaviour and has been identified for redevelopment into housing to “meet the demand for high quality family and affordable homes in this location”.
The development “will be a key transformational scheme for Swinton, helping to meet local housing needs, sustainability targets and bolster economic growth”, according to the council.
In order for the site to be brought forward for redevelopment, the existing buildings need to be demolished.
Salford City Council has secured £1.6m of government funding for the project.
Councillor Jack Youd, deputy city mayor and lead member for finance, support services and regeneration at Salford City Council, said: “The award of the money after our bid is great news for Swinton.
“Council officers are now working to secure a demolition contract, which needs to be in place by the end of March 2025 to meet the funding requirements.”
The proposed redevelopment of the St Ambrose Barlow school site aligns with Salford City Council’s recent efforts to up its housing delivery across brownfield sites.
The council is currently delivering 68 homes on the former St Luke’s school site in Weaste and has completed 45 homes on at the former Irwell Valley High School in Charlestown.
This sounds great – will hopefully kick off a larger regen of the Swinton area!
By Ben
Great news and well done to Jack and the team at salford council
By Paul murray
The area is at a standstill already.
Agree we need more social housing BUTuse the housing all boarded up.
They are good buildings, a lot more economical than building new.
By Anonymous
If they do as good a job as they didn’t do to my old school it. Will be more wasted space. My old school..Sacred Heart Middlewood St. Just high ruse expensive flats
By GB.
Hi , the comment above about the houses on the former site in Charlestown are not affordable at all, they are not council properties. The rent starts at 1300 per month. Council hones are around 500 per month
I actually iwn my council house but If I needed a council property no way could I afford these houses and I eork full time at a local school.
By Nadine
Ideal brownfield site for new housing. There will be the usual NIMBY cries but these are the kind of easy wins we just need to get built.
By Anonymous
Can they demolish the Lancastrian at the same time?. I
By Alan Johnson