Salford Uni seeks green light for £38m Arts school

PLANS for a new £38m arts building at the University of Salford will be considered by councillors in the city today.

The 172,000 sq ft development is part of a wave of investments planned to overhaul the university’s property portfolio over the next 20 years.

This project will see the existing arts, design, media and performance functions being closed on its existing Adelphi Campus and relocating either to MediaCity or to this new £38m, seven-storey building on the main Peel Park Campus.

The new arts school will be built on the site of the Ashworth & Wakefield building, which is to be demolished. A new public realm area linking the new arts school with the Chapman Building, which is also currently being refurbished by Wates Construction, is also being proposed.

The arts building will contain a new Music school, an art & design school, offices and a new cafe and retail units. It is also being proposed that the building should be opened out to the public so they can attend performances and exhibitions. The proposed new school would be built to BREEAM “Excellent” standards and council officers are recommending it for approval.

Turley Associates is acting as planning consultants on the scheme. To date, no objections against the proposed development have been received.