Plans for new sustainable and creative neighbourhood approved

Planning consent has been confirmed for a new residential scheme in Salford that will establish a vibrant neighbourhood featuring 90 affordable homes set amid one of Greater Manchester’s most inspiring creative communities.

The project will see ECF – a joint venture made up of Legal & General, Muse and Homes England – transform the partly-disused light industrial Regent Trading Estate on Oldfield Road into Oldfield Basin.

The new community will be formed around 63 one- and two-bedroom apartments and 27 town houses designed to Passivhaus standards and attractive new public spaces.

The new homes will stand next to Islington Mill, location of the Islington Mill Arts Club (IMAC), one of the region’s most important bases for artists and independent creative businesses.

Two commercial units from the five warehouses on the existing site will be retained for continued use by cultural enterprises, giving Oldfield Basin a distinct identity.

An existing building which sits over the former canal basin has been demolished, leaving the area protected with landscaped, open space and associated quality public areas.

On completion, the new homes will be acquired and managed by Derive RP, an independent housing provider created by Salford Council to deliver affordable and social housing across the city.

Natalie Kennedy, senior project manager at ECF, said: “Oldfield Basin will bring back into productive use a brownfield site and provide 90 much needed affordable, low carbon homes. The neighbourhood we are creating, alongside a key cultural venue, will be completely unique and strike a chord with people interested in living sustainably in an environment favoured by creatives.”

Salford City Mayor, Paul Dennett, said: “It is great news that the approval has been given to these 90 affordable homes. This new scheme fits perfectly with our plan to provide more affordable homes for local people and makes use of our brownfield first approach to building new communities.”

The project, designed by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, has been drawn up in consultation with Islington Mill Arts Club.

The project team includes Re-form advising on landscape design and DPP as planning consultant.

The site falls within the Salford Central regeneration area, which ECF is leading on for the city council. As part of the masterplan, ECF has already delivered Greenhaus, 96 affordable homes built to Passivhaus standards on nearby Chapel Street, and is currently on site with a second, Willohaus (100 Passivhaus homes) off Peru Street.

Work on site is expected to begin in January 2025, with an enabling works package followed by the main works commencing in March 2025.