Salford’s twin towers set for green light
A PROPOSAL to build two residential towers in the Greengate area of Salford is expected to win planning approval tomorrow.
Daren Whitaker, the developer behind several schemes in Ancoats, has lodged an application through Pinnacle Developments (NW).
It wants to build 497 apartments in 31 and 19-storey towers on a vacant plot bounded by Greengate, New Bridge Street, Gorton Street and the River Irwell. The area sits between Trinity Way and the railway tracks which run out of Victoria Station.
The application has attracted 22 objections, including one from Graham Stringer, the Labour MP for Blackley and Broughton. Opponents say the proposals conflict with the Exchange Greengate masterplan which suggest a 12-storey maximum and also have a detrimental impact on the Cathedral conservation area. They also say the scheme turns its back on the River Irwell and will effectively make a riverside walkway private.
In a report prepared for councillors, planning officers said: “The re-development of Greengate is expected to catalyse investment of around £400m from the private sector over the next 10-15 years, resulting in the creation of around 50,000 sq m of new commercial floorspace, 1,400 new residential units and around 3,000 jobs.
“Greengate is therefore fundamental to the continued growth of the regional centre and to Salford’s own economic growth prospects. The capacity of the site to deliver a significant amount of dwellings is set out in the recently published Salford housing land availability assessment and it is considered that if the city is to meet its housing targets then high density residential development will be required in the regional centre to relieve pressure on greenfield sites in more suburban locations.
“The current planning application is broadly consist ent with the adopted planning guidance for the area and the principles contained within the draft Exchange Greengate Masterplan Review.”
Earlier in the year Mr Whitaker’s Renaker Build firm bought the Royal Mills residential scheme from ING Real Estate. Renaker’s sister company Paragon Developments is already on site converting two former mills, Paragon and Royal Mills, after securing £4.7m from a government fund designed to kickstart stalled schemes.
A 31-storey block would be one floor higher than City Tower in Manchester’s Piccadilly Gardens, but 16 below the 47-storey Beetham Tower in the city.
