Latest development phase at £1bn Middlewood Locks scheme celebrated

The next significant phase of development at the £1bn Middlewood Locks neighbourhood, between Salford and Manchester city centre, has been marked by a groundbreaking ceremony.

Salford City Mayor, Paul Dennett and Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham joined a gathering alongside Kevin McCabe, chairman, and Simon McCabe, chief executive of Scarborough Group International which is delivering the major urban regeneration project.

Dongwen Yu, lead director at Beijing Construction Engineering Group International (BCEGI), which is the preferred contractor for Middlewood Locks, also joined the event alongside Zheng Xiyuan, Chinese Consul General in Manchester and other guests.

Planning consent was granted last year for phase three at Middlewood Locks following the successful completion and sell out of 1,117 apartments in phases one and two. The multi-award-winning new neighbourhood is already thriving with more than 1,300 people living and working at Middlewood Locks with a recent report highlighting a £260m contribution to the Greater Manchester economy so far.

Phase three, named ‘Railings’, features 189 new homes including 176 one- to three-bedroom apartments in two blocks, one of 10 storeys and the other 12 storeys, on the northern side of the canal opposite Phase one.

For the first time, there will also be seven canalside, three- and four-bedroom townhouses along with six mews houses to support family living.

The Railings will incorporate first class amenity space, balconies and private gardens that blend into the public realm areas as a continuation of previous phases. The scheme will also feature 5,150 sq ft of ground floor commercial and retail accommodation with an additional 5,000 sq ft of offices.

Paul Dennett said: “Middlewood Locks is a Salford success story that keeps on delivering. It has created thousands of jobs for our local economy, delivered over a thousand homes that are desperately needed for Salford residents and transformed a derelict site into a vibrant and sought-after neighbourhood.

“I am excited to see how the next phase unfolds and how it works with its ever-growing community as our city moves forward with this ambitious regeneration project.”

Andy Burnham said: “I am delighted to see first hand what has been achieved so far at Middlewood Locks. This place is a part of the ‘new’ Greater Manchester and is a fantastic example of brownfield site development that delivers homes where there are great public transport links and green spaces. When we connect Middlewood Locks to our London-style public transport system, it will become an even better place to live, right in the heart of a resurgent North of England.”

The first phase of 571 homes at Middlewood Locks completed in September 2018 and phase two of 546 homes completed in November 2021. Phase two was purchased by award-winning PRS operator Get Living for its first PRS venture outside London.

Both phases are sold out and a new community of more than 1,300 residents now live at Middlewood Locks where iconic brewery brand Seven Bro7hers has opened its first beer house alongside Co-op Food and 92 Degrees coffee shop.

When completed, the 25-acre neighbourhood will provide a total of 2,215 new homes and 900,000 sq ft of commercial space, including offices, hotel, shops and restaurants.

Kevin McCabe said: “The creation of this vibrant and inclusive new neighbourhood has been made possible thanks to our successful collaborations and support from the local authorities, Homes England and our delivery partners and we are pleased to be able to showcase this to our esteemed guests today.”

Dongwen Yu said: “BCEGI has a strong track record of enriching local communities after having already completed phases one and two, generating £260m local economic benefit for the Greater Manchester region.

“This development has already had a positive impact on the communities of Salford and Greater Manchester, and we are proud to be playing a pivotal role in the process.”

Zheng Xiyuan said: “The development of Middlewood Locks is an exciting and much needed project to provide high quality homes in the heart of Salford. An investment like this in making our city a great place to live, work and relax is of the utmost importance.”

SGI expects to complete construction of the Railings by late 2024.