What's happening in the area?

The Ordsall Waterfront area is set for transformation as part of the Irwell River Park project and alongside exciting new developments such as the Soapworks. Whilst Salford Quays has seen considerable investment and rapid growth within recent years with more developments on the horizon, the Ordsall Waterfront area will develop with its own unique identity and character.

Underpinning the waterfront network will be a revitalised waterside walkway. Linked to the plans for Irwell River Park, the walkway will extend from Salford Quays to the Regional Centre and be a high quality pedestrian and cycle route for use by residents and visitors. In time, the walkway will extend further out to Peel Park and The Meadows.

A key aspect of the revitalised Ordsall waterfront will be the Soapworks, a refurbishment of the former Colgate Palmolive soap factory that will see the building brought back into use with an exciting mix of uses and from an award-winning creative team. The overall development has the potential to create over 1,500 jobs and bring almost 4 hectares of land back into use. The project will create 38,000 square metres of flexible BREEAM excellent floorspace aimed at the digital and media sector and new business start-ups with additional opportunities for leisure, retail and residential development. A further new build element linked to the existing building will deliver up to 13,385 square metres of mixed use floorspace. Phase 1A (comprising the Boilerhouse and Green Link) were completed at the end of August 2011. The Boilerhouse delivers 22,000 square feet of high quality flexible office floorspace aimed at a niche market and at a rental level that will provide a Grade A office product. The Green Link provides a high quality cycle and pedestrian link from Irwell River Park through to the Ordsall Neighbourhood.

Ordsall Hall is one of Salford's only Grade I listed buildings. Located on Ordsall Lane, the Tudor mansion house is one of Greater Manchester's oldest buildings and in 2009 funding secured from the Heritage Lottery Fund to implement a programme of restoration works to secure its use into the future as a museum and events space. The hall closed its doors in 2009 to undergo a £6.5 million restoration programme, and reopened in May 2011 following extensive renovation.

A key aspiration for the Ordsall Waterfront area is to enhance pedestrian linkages from the canalside path through to Ordsall Lane, increasing permeability and promoting movement through the neighbourhood. Views to Ordsall Hall from the waterside have recently been improved by the removal of the former Vanguard building; the long-term vision for this space is the creation of a green boulevard, framing the newly-reopened and renovated Grade I listed Ordsall Hall and providing a direct walking route between Ordsall Lane and the waterside pathway. The linkage between Ordsall Lane and the waterside route will realise one of the key aspirations of the Irwell River Park project - to open up access to the waterside and promote its usage.

The Ordsall neighbourhood itself is also undergoing a period of great change. Construction work is underway on the MediaCityUK Oasis Academy on Trafford Road, a new built for purpose high school within the wider MediaCityUK area. The academy will be host to 900 pupils from the ages 11 to 16, with a 250 place post-16 provision and will begin operation from September 2012. The school's curriculum programme will capitalise upon its close proximity to MediaCityUK and its presence of world-class expertise in broadcasting and digital media from the BBC, the University of Salford and other key tenants. The academy will feature radio and TV studios, production offices and other facilities in addition to provision for science, technology, sport and the arts alongside all other subjects in the National Curriculum.

The creation of a new district centre within the Ordsall neighbourhood will introduce significant new residential opportunities and a new Morrisons store fronting onto Trafford Road, revitalising a key stretch of the main corridor through the Ordsall and Salford Quays area. The Morrisons store provides local amenities to those living within the Ordsall area and convenience for those visiting and working at Salford Quays, in addition to providing significant employment opportunities. New housing takes the form of townhouses, which alongside existing housing delivered between Salford City Council and LPC will create a vibrant, mixed neighborhood.

Metrolink services from Exchange Quay station have also been enhanced by the new MediaCityUK tram service. Services from Exchange Quay to Piccadilly and Eccles now run every six minutes, providing rapid links into the centre of Manchester and to connecting transport hubs at Piccadilly Gardens and Piccadilly station, and neighbourhoods to the west of Salford Quays. Works were completed in 2010 to enhance Exchange Quay station in terms of environmental quality and providing clearer pedestrian and cycle routes.

Planning Guidance for the Ordsall Waterfront area was adopted in July 2008.

This page was last updated on 28 February 2012