Salford unlocks land for Jewish community centre

The city council signed off the sale of the long-vacant site of the former Hanover Court residential block in Broughton earlier this week. 

A Jewish community group plans to build a multi-purpose hub on the plot, which is located off Bury New Road. 

It is proposed that Ezra Care, a local charity that provides various services for the Jewish community, will be the anchor tenant of the community centre.  

As well as the hub, up to 23 specialist housing units could be brought forward. 

The scheme would be “built to the specific requirements of Jewish residents”, according to a report to Salford City Council’s property and regeneration committee.  

Heads of terms for a 250-year lease have now been approved. 

The acquisition is to be funded by a Charity called Delapage, and the construction of both the houses and community hub will be funded by Aguda Israel Housing Association, according to the report. 

The former Hanover House plot has been vacant since 2005 when the 16-storey residential building was demolished. 

The site is allocated as a housing asset, and the authority confirmed in the report that a residential scheme would generate the highest capital receipt for the site.  

However, the rapid growth of the Jewish population in Salford – an increase of 48% since 2011 – has presented a need for more infrastructure.  

“The area of Higher Broughton has a high concentration of the Charedi Jewish Community (also referred to as strictly observant),” the report states.  

“The Charedi community has a high number of large families and would prefer to use internal community services rather than mainstream providers. This includes shops, health and medical services, early years’ childcare, youth services and educational settings.”  

Beis Yaakov High School, located next door to the site, had previously expressed an interest in acquiring the land to facilitate an expansion.  

However, “a deliverable proposition did not come to fruition”, the report states.