Salford council has been granted compulsory purchase order powers following a government inquiry, paving the way for a 50-acre regeneration project in the Greater Manchester town.
English Cities Fund – the joint venture between Muse Developments, Legal & General and the Homes and Communities Agency – will now move ahead with plans for the 3m sq ft Central Salford development, for which it has outline planning consent.
The scheme is centred on Chapel Street – one of Salford’s main drags – and will feature 2m sq ft of office, retail and leisure space, plus more than 800 homes.
The public inquiry into the council’s move to secure CPO powers began last October and was sparked by several objections to the scheme.
ECF and Salford council control the majority of the site, although the remainder is in multiple ownerships. Northern Irish developer McAleer & Rushe owns the City Wharf office block which sits within Central Salford’s boundaries. It has submitted plans to transform it into a 271-bedroom hotel and 120,000 sq ft of offices.
Phil Mayall, development director with English Cities Fund, said: “While [ECF and Salford council] already own, or have agreements in place with the owners, the majority of land required to deliver the scheme, this decision marks another significant milestone in the delivery of this comprehensive regeneration scheme.
“The partners will continue to work together with those parties affected by the order to ensure that any disruption or disturbance will be kept to a minimum. ECF is now working towards submitting a planning application for the first phase of development and a further announcement will be made in due course.”
John Merry, leader of Salford city council, said: “This is excellent news for the continued regeneration in the city and is the culmination of many years of planning and work from ourselves and English Cities Fund. But, now that the order has been granted the work will really begin, and English Cities Fund can progress its planning applications to drive this development forward.
“This is one of the most historic areas of the city and we want to restore it to its former glory, while bringing in new businesses and tenants who can boost the city’s economy and create sustainable jobs and opportunities for the future.”
daniel.cunningham@estatesgazette.com
