£700m Middlewood Locks development under way
WORK started today on the first phase of the £700m Middlewood Locks development in Salford – a new residential neighbourhood at the western gateway to Manchester’s central business district.
Scarborough Group International, owned by the McCabe family, said FairBriar International was starting activity on the 24-acre site.
FairBriar is a joint venture between Scarborough, Hualing Group, based in based in Urumqui, Xinjiang, in China and Metro Holdings Limited, a Singapore-listed property development and investment group.
The work is being undertaken by Beijing Construction and Engineering Group (BCEGI), the Chinese construction and engineering firm, as the Scarborough’s preferred contractor for the development.
The first phases, which were granted detailed planning consent by Salford City Council in December last year, will comprise the development of 571 homes and associated commercial space, including convenience shops restaurants, extensive new public realm in the form of canal side footpaths and cycle ways that will connect into the city centre.
With a phased building programme the first residents are expected to start moving in early 2018.
Middlewood Locks received outline planning consent in March 2015 to deliver a new mixed-use neighbourhood, which, in total, will provide around 2,000 new homes and more than 750,000sq ft of commercial development space, including offices, hotel, shops, restaurants, a convenience store and gym.
The development, designed by architect, WCEC Group, is around three large basins of the Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal in Salford and is just a short walk from the central business district and retail amenities of Manchester.
The site has a gross development value of more than £700 million and is expected to create more than 7,000 jobs for the local region.
Lee Savage, development director of Scarborough, said: “We are thrilled to be starting on site at last. It marks the culmination of many months of intensive preparation and allows the local communities to see for themselves some real progress. The whole team will be concentrating on delivering a development of which Salford and Greater Manchester can be truly proud.”
Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett said: “I’m really pleased to see the long-awaited development start on this derelict site. Middlewood Locks will create a new community with much needed homes, commercial space and jobs whilst utilising our historic canal system, celebrating our industrial past.”
Xing Yan, managing director of BCEGI, said: “We are proud to be working on Middlewood Locks with Scarborough Group and their partners on what we believe will be a vibrant new neighbourhood for Salford. We are looking forward to engaging with the nearby communities as the construction works progress.”
