Chapel Street redevelopment
The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) is granting £10.76 million to launch the redevelopment of the Chapel Street area in Salford.
Investment will provide some of the public infrastructure needed to set in motion a major mixed-use redevelopment scheme in the heart of the city, which will eventually generate over £650 million in private sector investment. Building on this public sector investment in Chapel Street's infrastructure, the private sector will deliver further vital infrastructure and environmental improvements as part of the overall planning permission for the Chapel Street area.
Funding of £8.97 million from the NWDA and a further £1.79 million under the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), which is managed in the Northwest by the NWDA, will establish high quality public spaces and highways which will connect future retail, housing, leisure and office developments.
The final scheme will generate some 11,000 jobs, 220,000 square metres of commercial floor space for office, retail, and leisure development, 849 homes and 390 hotel rooms.
The redevelopment plans for Chapel Street, which have been led by Central Salford Urban Regeneration Company (URC) with developer partner English Cities fund (ECF) were approved by Salford City Council in January 2010 following more than two years of consultation with the community and stakeholders. It aims to deliver the holistic regeneration of this important part of Salford for the benefit of existing and potential residents, businesses and visitors.
Works to reduce traffic and create a better physical environment funded by NWDA and ERDF investment will take place in two phases.
Chapel Street links Salford, including MediaCityUK, to Manchester city centre and currently carries some of the highest traffic flows into Manchester city centre from the west.
The first phase, which will start immediately, will be a package of junction improvements and highway configuration to divert traffic away from Chapel Street. These works will take place at Broad Street/Albion Way; Albion Way/Liverpool Street and Regent Road/Oldfield Road junctions.
Once the first phase has completed in autumn, a series of improvements in public spaces will begin on Chapel Street.
This second phase includes new street furniture, lighting, signage, tree-planting and widening of footpaths; new public squares at Salford Cathedral and St Phillips Church to provide better connectivity to the historic core of Salford and new pedestrian crossing points.
In total, some 14,000 square metres of public spaces will be improved.
The investment will make Chapel Street more pedestrian-friendly and create a safer, calmer environment for businesses and visitors.
The Chapel Street corridor links Salford University's campus, through the historic heart of Salford, to vacant land around Salford Central Station and the riverbank opposite Manchester's successful business district of Spinningfields.
The overall aim is to create a major expansion of the region's commercial centre within the old city of Salford to meet the needs of key business sectors, including the financial and professional services. A new commercial quarter will be established next to Spinningfields.
Cllr Derek Antrobus, Salford City Council lead member for planning at Salford Council, said: "This funding is critical to get the plans off the ground and we are grateful to the NWDA for their support. These major highway works and public space improvements are essential in order to create the right conditions for major investment by the private sector.
"The ambitious plans cover 17 hectares around the main road of Chapel Street, Salford Central station and the Adelphi and Bexley Square Conservation Area which features St Phillips Church and Salford Cathedral.
As part of a development with English Cities Fund (ECF), European Regional Development fund (ERDF) and Salford City Council, Chapel Street will be transformed from a traffic-choked highway to a tree-lined boulevard.
The stunning architecture in the area will be celebrated and unused buildings will be brought back to life with new and exciting uses. Thriving neighbourhoods, office developments, local shops, bars and recreation facilities will breathe new life into the area. Around 849 new homes will be built and over 11,000 jobs will be created.
Pedestrian friendly streets and public transport improvements will make exploring and passing through the area easy and enjoyable. The Meadows, a staggering piece of green space in the heart of the city, will be brought to the fore and re-connected to surrounding areas. Chapel Street will directly contribute to Salford's Vision of a beautiful, vibrant and prosperous city.
This page was last updated on 6 July 2011
