Planning Strategy

Adopted Unitary Development Plan

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The Plan's Overall Approach

3.1 In preparing a City-wide plan for the period of up to mid 2001, a strategy or vision of the type of City which the Plan is trying to create has been established in order to crystallise objectives and identify policies and proposals. This strategy has been developed within the legal framework of the Plan and in particular it has taken into account and applied the Secretary of State's Strategic Planning Guidance for Greater Manchester and other Government policy directives.

3.2 The main requirements of Strategic Planning Guidance which have influenced the preparation of the Plan may be summarised as follows:

to revitalise the sub-regional economy and promote urban regeneration
to reflect and support the Mersey Basin Campaign, particularly where it affects the regeneration of the upper reaches of the Manchester Ship Canal Corridor
to identify a comprehensive range of development sites for manufacturing and service industries;
to identify strategic opportunities for major high amenity sites for high technology industries
to identify land for the provision of up to 3,000 new homes within Salford between mid-1986 and 2001 to cater for growth in the number of households and market demand together with an additional allowance for clearance, with particular emphasis on the identification of sites within the urban area
to make the best possible use of the existing housing stock and to propose targeted action for unsatisfactory neighbourhoods
to conform with existing Green Belt Policy and incorporate the Greater Manchester Green Belt
to demonstrate continuing care for river valleys and other significant open land areas and promote environmental improvement within these areas
to safeguard the best and most versatile agricultural land
to protect sites of scientific, ecological, scenic, recreational, cultural and heritage value
to provide recreational opportunities and assist nature conservation
to safeguard mineral resources and identify areas for mineral working, to secure high standards of site operation and restoration, and to minimise the environmental impact of minerals operations, having regard to the Minerals Local Plan for Greater Manchester
to establish criteria for identifying waste disposal sites and assessing land use and environmental implications of individual proposals
to maintain, modernise and refurbish existing town centres whilst accepting in principle the building of one new sub-regional shopping centre on the western side of Greater Manchester
to maintain and improve the existing transport network
to allow for the development of a light rail system and for the improvement of the local rail network

3.3 The City Council's vision of the Salford of the 21st century is one of a rejuvenated and revitalised place in which to live and work. The City will cover largely the same built-up area that it does today, but significant land-use changes will take place. The Plan's purpose is to guide those changes so that they result in an improved quality of life for the citizens of Salford. The UDP is not a plan for large-scale growth or expansion, but rather for the City's consolidation and enhancement. In this respect the Plan supports the concept of sustainable development, making adequate allowance for the provision of new homes and new workplaces whilst at the same time ensuring that future generations are not denied the best of today's environment.

3.4 The following Strategy is put forward as a basis for the Plan's policies and proposals. Within the context of carefully addressing the needs of all areas of the City and making provision, as far as possible, for the needs of all those who look to the City for accommodation, employment and leisure, the Plan will have an overriding commitment to the following themes:

to secure urban regeneration
to direct development and investment towards the defined Investment Priority Area (the Inner City, together with parts of Eccles and Little Hulton) and the Ship Canal Corridor of Opportunity;
to improve the urban and rural environment
to maintain and enhance the City's District Centres, and the Regional Centre
to ensure that all sections of the community share in the City's increased prosperity; and
to conserve energy and other resources and maximise the use of existing facilities, in order to ensure that development is sustainable

These themes can be applied on both an area and topic basis, as follows:

The Area Dimension

3.5 Four distinct areas within the City present different problems and opportunities needing individual approaches to urban regeneration.

An Investment Priority Area: the Inner City, together with parts of Eccles and Little Hulton.

3.6 The present focus of the City's urban regeneration policies is the Inner City, where social, economic and physical problems are most pronounced. Paradoxically, this is also an area of opportunity, by virtue of its proximity to the Regional Centre and its excellent communications. The task here is to reverse decline by continuing to make it a priority area for investment, and developing its potential. In addition, parts of Eccles and Little Hulton need priority investment and are included within this area.

Objectives:

to secure and improve the quality of life by concentrating investment and development within this part of the City;
to improve the quality of existing housing and create new residential areas, where appropriate;
to safeguard employment opportunities and create new jobs;
to bring about an improved environment and to enhance existing open space;
to improve public and private transport arrangements and to help pedestrians; and
to increase leisure and recreation facilities.

An Area of Consolidation and Improvement: Walkden, Ellenbrook, Swinton, Pendlebury, Kersal, Claremont, Winton, Monton, Peel Green and Parts of Eccles, Irlam and Cadishead.

3.7 This part of the City, whilst forming part of the main urban area, does not have the Inner City's concentration of problems. It is an area of stability, but there are still major issues to be faced here - in particular, areas of older terraced housing in need of improvement, and older industrial areas needing attention. Environmentally, conditions vary, as does the provision of recreation facilities and open space. Improvement policies and programmes must therefore be directed to areas of need; selective investment in job-creation and corridor-based environmental improvement will benefit wide sections of the community.

Objectives:

to consolidate and improve the area as a significant residential and industrial resource;
to secure environmental improvements, particularly within defined corridors and in areas with a mix of housing and industry;
to improve facilities and safeguard open spaces; and
to channel development pressures to maximise benefits locally and City-wide.

An Area of Restraint and Environmental Bias: Croal-Irwell Valley, Linnyshaw, Worsley, Boothstown and Chat Moss.

3.8 This is basically rural Salford. It embraces Chat Moss, Botany Bay Wood, Middle Wood, Worsley Woods and the Croal-Irwell Valley, together with the residential areas of Worsley and Boothstown. The approach here will be one of protecting and enhancing countryside and open space and limiting development to existing and allocated residential areas by using Green Belt and open land policies.

Objectives:

to develop the area's open space and recreational potential, for the benefit of all the City's residents
to safeguard areas of high landscape and ecological value
to retain areas of high quality agricultural land in farming use
to restrict urban development; and
to protect and restore the remnant moss lands.

A Corridor of Opportunity: Land Adjacent to the Manchester Ship Canal and the Regional Centre.

3.9 The focus for investment and development provided by the Ship Canal Corridor is a major asset to the City, as acknowledged in Strategic Planning Guidance. The Ship Canal Corridor in Salford extends from the heart of the Regional Centre to Cadishead. Apart from the Regional Centre's evident potential, the corridor includes opportunities to build on the success of Salford Quays and the Enterprise Zones. The work (supported by the City Council) of Trafford Park Development Corporation at Northbank will be vital. There are also development sites at Ordsall Lane, Mode Wheel, Weaste Quarry, Eccles and Barton.

Objectives:

to maximise the area's job creation potential
to secure development of vacant and under used land for the maximum benefit of the City and the conurbation
to improve the water quality of the Ship Canal and the environmental quality of its surrounds
to improve access across and alongside the Ship Canal
to develop the area's tourist and leisure potential; and
to maximise the area's contribution to the Regional Centre.

The Topic Dimension

3.10 The Strategy can be applied through nine broad topics as follows:

The Economy

3.11 Revitalisation of the City's economy is a major and complex task. The UDP's Economic Strategy is geared towards:

strengthening the local economy through consolidation, diversification and growth; and
maximising job opportunities for Salford residents to combat high unemployment.

3.12 The UDP is just one mechanism for achieving these objectives. Its policies and proposals, outlined in Chapter 4, are primarily concerned with:

identifying a broad range of economic development sites (the balanced portfolio) covering some 340 hectares (840 acres) and ranging in size from large scale development opportunities, such as Agecroft, Barton and Northbank, to small sites suitable for starter units
preparing land for economic development either through reclamation as at Weaste Quarry or Cleggs Lane, or the re-use of redundant land and buildings such as the former Royal Ordnance Factory at Patricroft; and
designating improvement areas as at Brindleheath and Greengate or identifying individual employment-related improvement schemes.

The Environment

3.13 Environmental conditions relate directly to the quality of life. Policies in Chapter 5 seek to:

conserve and improve the City's environmental assets
remove or upgrade environmentally unsatisfactory features
pursue quality in all aspects of environmental planning; and
achieve a balance between development and environmental protection.

3.14 To this end, the UDP proposes:

an adherence to firm Green Belt policies
the protection of all existing open land within the City which is not otherwise allocated within this Plan
a continuation of policies to enhance the Croal-Irwell Valley in a comprehensive fashion
enhancing the urban environment through the improvement of the older housing and industrial areas, tackling environmental problems, and the general `greening' of the City
enhancing the City's environmental corridors, including canals, the motorway network, major roads, the railways and key footpath networks
protecting the moss lands, areas of nature conservation importance, and other ecological assets
continued care for the City's heritage, including its conservation areas, listed buildings, and features of historical, archaeological and architectural interest; and
promoting environmental care.

Housing

3.15 The quality and quantity of housing in Salford has a profound influence on the life of its residents; the City is home for almost a quarter of a million people, living in approximately 97,500 dwellings. Housing policies in the Plan (see Chapter 6) are directed towards:

satisfying the housing requirements of all groups
improving the quality of the housing stock and its environment, in order to allow for the retention of as much of the existing stock as possible
allocating land for new residential development to meet likely future requirements and provide a broad range of new housing.

3.16 To this end, the Plan's policies and proposals provide for:

improvement of the City's public housing areas and the main concentrations of older, privately-owned dwellings. Priority within the public sector stock will be given to the Inner City estates of Ordsall, the Central Redevelopment Area (Pendleton) and Central Salford. Priority in privately-owned older housing areas will aim at completing improvement programmes at Langworthy and Seedley, and tackling the problem of Eccles
the release of housing land to accommodate a minimum of 3,000 dwellings and an additional allowance to compensate for housing which will be lost through clearance (anticipated to be at least 3,000 dwellings over the Plan period), to meet anticipated demand over the Plan period
continued housing development at Boothstown, Ellenbrook and Trinity which, together with other, smaller, housing allocations, will meet the housing land needs, outlined above.

Retailing and Town Centres

3.17 The vitality of town centres and good access to a broad range of shops, offering competitive prices in pleasant and convenient surroundings, are important influences on the City's quality of life. The Plan's policies (see Chapter 7) are directed towards:

providing appropriate shopping facilities at locations that satisfy the needs of Salford residents; and
maintaining and enhancing town centres and other shopping facilities to ensure that they are safe, convenient and attractive.

3.18 Accordingly, the Plan seeks to:

support and improve the City's four district centres - Salford Precinct (Pendleton), Swinton, Eccles and Walkden
support and improve the City's key local shopping centres, including among others Monton, Lower Broughton and Irlams o'th' Height
make provision for appropriate new shopping facilities, to serve local needs or the wider aims of urban regeneration.

Transport

3.19 Transport planning and investment is of paramount importance in the process of urban regeneration, improving the environment and increasing accessibility. The Plan's transport policies (set out in Chapter 8) are directed towards:

supporting economic revitalisation and urban regeneration
improving the transport system to satisfy social and economic needs
improving the environment by minimising the adverse effects of traffic
supporting the maintenance and improvement of a County-wide public transport system and promoting the use of public transport as an alternative to the car
ensuring that the needs of pedestrians and cyclists are met
improving conditions for the disabled and others with mobility problems; and
improving safety for all road users.

3.20 In furtherance of these aims, the Plan's policies and proposals include:

the construction of:
- Stage 3 (the completion of) the Inner Relief Route
- the Irlam and Cadishead By-Pass
- the Link Road between the M63 and the Irlam and Cadishead By-Pass
- the M602/Parkway Link
- the Broadway Link
- the Eccles Town Centre By-Pass
the improvement of Trafford Road (between Salford Quays and the City Boundary)
construction of the Metrolink system to serve Salford Quays and Eccles; and
the pedestrianisation of Eccles Town Centre.

Tourism

3.21 Salford has considerable tourism potential as a result of its historic features, its countryside and visitor attractions. The social, economic and environmental benefits which flow from tourism can make a significant contribution to urban regeneration. The Plan's policies (see Chapter 9) are directed towards:

encouraging tourism to the benefit of the City and its people
improving visitor attractions and links between them; and
developing tourism potential in both urban and rural areas.

3.22 The Plan's provision for tourism development throughout the City places special emphasis on:

The Crescent and Salford's museums
Worsley Village and the Bridgewater Canal
Salford Quays; and
Castlefield Urban Heritage Park and the River Irwell Corridor.

Recreation

3.23 Good quality, attractive and accessible recreation facilities are an important stimulus to urban regeneration and greatly enhance the quality of life. The policies and proposals put forward in Chapter 10 seek to maximise provision of recreation land, sports halls, swimming pools, sports pitches and informal open space.

3.24 Policies and proposals are directed towards:

protecting and improving existing recreation land and facilities
identifying recreational development opportunities in relation to perceived needs
promoting access to and use of Salford's urban fringe and countryside areas
developing the recreational potential of the City's many water features and disused railway lines; and
encouraging private recreation provision where appropriate.

3.25 Key proposals put forward in the UDP include:

continued recreational development of the Croal-Irwell Valley in conjunction with Bolton and Bury Metropolitan Councils;
three new country parks at Clifton, Blackleach and Slack Brook;
major provision of recreational open space at Clifton Sewage Treatment Works and Robin Hood Sidings within the Croal-Irwell Valley, as well as Swinton Sewage Treatment Works; Cleggs Lane, Little Hulton; the Bridgewater Canal, Boothstown; Ferryhill Tip, Irlam; and the Glazebrook Valley, Cadishead.

Social, Community and Education Provision

3.26 Social, Community and Education provision, the subject of Chapter 11, includes welfare services, schools, cultural facilities and health care.

3.27 The City Council's approach to social, community and education provision is one of building up a locally-based network giving priority to those parts of the City subject to greatest social deprivation. Provision of new and improved facilities is also important in proposed areas of housing growth. Policies and proposals are geared towards:

safeguarding and improving community resources
increasing awareness of, and access to, facilities by the whole community
developing new facilities which meet local needs; and
supporting community development and involvement.

3.28 The Plan's policies and proposals include:

new or replacement schools at Ellesmere Park, Eccles, Ellenbrook and Boothstown; and
identifying land suitable for cemeteries at Swinton and Agecroft.

Minerals and Waste Disposal

3.29 Mineral extraction and waste disposal are significant activities in the context of urban regeneration. They provide a source of employment and a supply of raw materials. They also ensure that the by-products of urban life can be disposed of. Both, however, have far-reaching environmental consequences leading to potential conflict.

3.30 Policies and proposals contained in Chapter 12 provide a framework for mineral extraction and waste disposal activity whilst minimising adverse environmental effects by:

safeguarding mineral resources
establishing criteria for the assessment of mineral extraction proposals and the location and operation of waste disposal sites and facilities and
ensuring that mineral extraction and waste disposal operations maintain high standards of site operation, restoration and after-use.

3.31 Policies and proposals maintain a broad commitment to the planning framework established within the Greater Manchester Minerals Local Plan and include:

maintaining Salford's overall contribution to the supply of aggregate minerals
supporting schemes which promote derelict land reclamation, the use of alternatives to newly won minerals and recycling; and
securing high standards of site operation and restoration;

Central Salford

3.32 Central Salford is the only part of the City which is treated as an area in its own right in this Plan. It is an area subject to varying development pressures, and it is felt that the framework incorporated in this Plan, which provides for flexibility within certain defined principles, is the most appropriate form of planning guidance. Located at the centre of the Greater Manchester Conurbation, Central Salford is an area with tremendous potential for development and yet, in common with many similar Inner City areas, it also has considerable social, economic and physical problems. Chapter 13 of the Plan puts forward policies and proposals to develop the full potential of the area for the benefits of those who rely on it for accommodation, employment and recreation.

Development

3.33 Chapter 14 of the Plan sets out the City Council's detailed development control policies which will be used in the consideration of all planning applications whether they involve the construction of new buildings, alterations or extensions to existing buildings, or change of use. The chapter is not all embracing and it is important that it should be read in conjunction with the rest of the Plan and any supplementary planning guidance used by the City Council, as well as the Government's Planning Policy Guidance Notes, circular advice and planning legislation.

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This page was last updated on 22 October 2009