VIDEO | Unlocking brownfield regeneration in Salford

Designed around a central green space and providing a new lease of life for one of the city’s most famous sites, Salboy’s Castle Irwell development in Charlestown is about more than just homes.

Constructed on the site of the former Manchester Racecourse where Queen Elizabeth II enjoyed her first win as a horse owner, the 367-home scheme is an example of how to recycle a brownfield site to create a project that is both commercially sound and socially aware.

After the racecourse closed, the land was acquired by the University of Salford and redeveloped into student housing. When the halls became vacant, the site became a strategic priority for Salford City Council, which wanted to see it redeveloped.

Salboy stepped in and, working alongside planning consultant Euan Kellie Property Solutions, drew up a vision for another new identity for the site.

“It was not just about flooding [the site] with residential and maximising the built form, it was about placemaking and delivering a new community,” said Euan Kellie, company director at Euan Kellie Property Solutions.

“When you work on a project, you hope it is going to be as good as the drawings and this is even better.”

Place went to learn more about Castle Irwell, joining Salboy and EKPS for a walk around the scheme.

You can learn more about the project and the work that went into creating it by watching the video at the top of this article.  Can’t see the video? You can watch it on the Place North West YouTube channel.