Revised Draft Local Plan, Chapter 11: Culture and tourism

Policy CT1 - Tourism development

Salford’s tourism function will be significantly enhanced, expanding its role as a major visitor destination.

Tourism development in Salford will be concentrated in the following locations:

1. Salford Quays
   1. Expanding its function as an important established tourism destination containing major visitor attractions and encouraging the provision of additional nationally significant tourist attractions that complement the area’s existing offer;
   2. Focusing on its roles as a centre for culture, arts, media, retail, business and watersports; and
   3. Improving links to other tourist attractions in the wider area including Ordsall Hall in Salford, and Old Trafford football stadium, Old Trafford cricket ground and the Imperial War Museum in Trafford
2. City Centre Salford
   1. Taking advantage of its close proximity to attractions and facilities in Manchester and the role of the wider City Centre as the primary leisure and business tourism destination in Greater Manchester;
   2. Making the most of the area’s rich heritage and culture, vibrant neighbourhoods, green spaces (including The Meadow and Peel Park), assets such as Irwell River Park and Salford Museum and Art Gallery; and
   3. Providing a new Greengate Park as part of a continuous area of high quality public realm in the east of the area, drawing visitors into the area and providing an events space
3. Worsley Village, RHS Garden Bridgewater and the Bridgewater Canal
   1. Enhancing, and enabling the appreciation of, the area’s unique heritage and environmental quality;
   2. Improving and diversifying the recreation and leisure facilities, with activity clustered in a small number of key locations along the canal corridor to promote linked trips; and
   3. Promoting improved access by public transport, cycling and walking
4. The stadium area and Barton Aerodrome
   1. Extending tourism-related uses around the stadium, including appropriate retail and leisure provision in accordance with policy CT3;
   2. Protecting and improving Barton Aerodrome as a general aviation facility and heritage asset; and
   3. Promoting these facilities as part of a much larger tourism destination extending across the Manchester Ship Canal into Trafford, and including the Trafford Centre

Hotel development shall be focused within and on the edge of these locations and the city’s town centres.

Development that would compromise the tourism role of the above locations will not be permitted.

The city’s network of green infrastructure will continue to be protected and enhanced as an important part of Salford’s recreation and tourism offer, with Chat Moss, the Irwell Valley and West Salford Greenway being identified as strategically important areas of green infrastructure that can help to attract visitors to the city.

Policy CT2 - Art and culture

Salford will make an increasing contribution to Greater Manchester’s world class artistic and cultural status, and local communities will have improved access to a wide range of cultural experiences.

This will be achieved by:

1. Retaining and enhancing the provision of cultural activities and facilities across the city, including workspaces and studios, with a significant expansion sought in the City Centre and Salford Quays;
2. Requiring major developments to incorporate, where practicable, cultural activities, including providing public realm capable of hosting events and performances;
3. Encouraging the temporary use of sites and premises for cultural activities, particularly in locations where they can help to animate the public realm;
4. Promoting the provision of public art;
5. Encouraging major developments to utilise digital technology to widen public access to art and culture, including through the interpretation of any heritage that the site and area possess; and
6. Applying the ‘agent of change’ principle, whereby if a development would potentially result in conflict between a cultural activity and another use, especially in terms of noise, then the development responsible for the change must secure the implementation of appropriate mitigation.

Policy CT3   Land around AJ Bell Stadium, Irlam (34.3 hectares)

A wide range of tourism and related uses will be suitable on the land around the AJ Bell Stadium, including:

• Hotels;
• Food and drink, such as bars and restaurants;
• Leisure facilities; and
• Comparison goods shops, where there would be no significant adverse impact on the vitality and viability of designated centres.

Proposals for these uses on the site will not be required to apply the sequential approach in policy TC2. Proposals for uses in points A-C on the site will be exempt from the impact assessment requirements in policy TC2.

Development that would contribute to increased use of, and attendance at, the stadium will be encouraged.

The development of the site shall:

• Be designed around high quality public realm that provides a focus for development on the site;
• Retain a line for a potential extension of the Trafford Park Metrolink line to pass through the site, incorporating a stop, on its way to Port Salford;
• Incorporate high quality walking and cycling routes that connect to the wider pedestrian/cycling networks and tourism attractions, including the Port Salford greenway, Bridgewater Canal, and the Trafford Centre;
• Ensure that access to individual developments is taken from the road infrastructure within the site rather than directly from the A57;
• Maintain and enhance Salteye Brook as a wildlife corridor, and protect its water quality and that of other nearby watercourses; and
• Mitigate flood risk associated with groundwater, surface water and Salteye Brook.