Irwell River Park Strategy executive summary

The Irwell River Park (IRP) is an 8km stretch of riverside land along the River Irwell, from Peel Park through City Centre Salford, through Ordsall and out to Salford Quays. The IRP was first recognised in 2008, when Manchester City Council, Trafford Council and Salford City Council adopted the ‘Irwell River Park Planning Guidance’. This set out a plan for the restoration of the river and a vision for a new urban park. However, progress was hindered by the 2008 financial crash and the guidance was superseded in January 2023 by the Salford Local Plan: Development Management Policies and Designations. 

This strategy is the next chapter in the evolution of the IRP and is an ambitious vision to enhance connectivity, public realm, accessibility and identity, to make the IRP a vibrant asset and a place for all. The study area for this strategy encompasses the River Irwell (within the Salford City Council boundary), the riverside, and between 100m and 200m of land adjacent to the riverside (dependent on local buildings and road infrastructure). 

The IRP is located amongst many existing and emerging Development Frameworks. Some of these include The Crescent, Strangeways and Cambridge, Greengate, Chapel Wharf, Salford Central and MediaCity/Quayside. The purpose of this strategy is not to critique or influence these frameworks, however there are several shared themes within them that are pertinent to this strategy. These include: 

• Maximise the waterfront
• Create an accessible, high quality riverside environment
• Improve pedestrian/cycle routes and infrastructure
• Deliver exceptional public realm

Additionally, to ensure cohesion with local policy, this strategy has considered the Salford Local Plan. Themes from this that are relevant to this strategy include:

• Enhance and develop new high-quality waterside pedestrian and cycle routes to encourage sustainable transport.
• Develop safe, social and inclusive public spaces within accessible locations.
• Protect and enhance routes to heritage destinations, cultural assets, key areas of public realm and green spaces.
• Enable better connections via road improvements, improved bus networks, a new Metrolink line and a new pedestrian footbridge. 

Although this strategy won’t constitute planning policy, it is intended as a mechanism for developers, planners, designers and the local community to engage with Salford City Council regarding the IRP and will be a material consideration in the determination of relevant planning applications.

The River Irwell and Manchester Ship Canal have played a significant role in the history and development of Salford. During the Industrial Revolution, the river was used to facilitate trade, and waterpower was harnessed to power machinery. As such, mills, factories and warehouses were built at the water’s edge. With the decline in industry, the river and adjacent buildings were effectively abandoned, leaving a polluted waterway flanked with vacant buildings. However, efforts in recent decades have improved the quality of the river and its surrounding environment. 

The wider river network now supports a diverse range of species including Otters, Kingfishers and Brown Trouts, and within the IRP itself there are some established semi natural riparian habitats and wetlands. Additionally, The Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan indicates that the air quality along the riverside is much better than nearby major movement routes. 

Within the study area, there is a comprehensive network of footpaths, cycle paths (Beeways) and highways which provide connections to local areas and onwards to Greater Manchester. Car parks are in the busiest areas within the study area including MediaCity, The Lowry, and Salford Central, and on-street blue badge parking is permitted on streets in the surrounding areas. The northern part of the study area is well connected to train stations and the area around Salford Quays is well serviced by the Metrolink network. Additionally, most of the study area is within a 5-minute walk of a bus stop. 

Peel Park and The Meadow are the largest greenspaces within the study area. They offer a network of footpaths, sports facilities, and a playground. There are a series of smaller greenspaces and city squares within the City Centre that easily accessible in isolation. There are also many key cultural destinations within and in proximity to the study area including museums, theatres, art galleries, music venues, and libraries. Several new developments including New Bailey and MediaCity are located on the waterfront and leisure cruises operate between MediaCity and the City Centre.

Despite the many positive aspects of the IRP, there are several challenges to overcome. This strategy has split these challenges into key categories, which can be found below.

Getting around:

• Pedestrian and cyclist movement is severed by major road infrastructure.
• Some parts of the riverside route are degraded, inaccessible, or too narrow to facilitate pedestrians and cyclists passing each other.
• In some areas, access to the riverside route is stepped with no alternative step free route available.
• Until Salford Quays, the Metrolink network is only on the Trafford/Manchester side of the river. 
• The train stations are more than a 10-minute walk away from most of the IRP.

Look and feel:

• There is a lack of cohesiveness across materials, furniture, signage and other reoccurring elements.
• The condition of the riverside route varies in quality. 
• Some of the riverside route is heavily overgrown and poorly lit leading to users feeling unsafe. 

Activation:

• Some buildings back onto the riverside and don’t provide any natural surveillance.
• Only a few leisure activities take place on the river (aside from in Salford Quays).
• There are a limited number of riverside destinations to encourage use of the IRP.

Natural environment:

• Nature is not given enough space to thrive along the riverside.
• There is a lack of diverse landscape typologies to help enhance biodiversity.
• Much of the river’s lower reaches has been heavily modified through dredging, straightening and widening. 
• The river currently has a “poor” or “moderate” ecological status resulting from urban pollution and industrial legacy sites.

Ownership:

• There are several stakeholders across the IRP including local authorities, ward members, councillors, community groups and residents.
• In some locations the riverside route is either in private ownership or the ownership is unknown, making development of these areas challenging.

Management and maintenance:

• There are budgetary constraints relating to maintenance within Salford City Council.
• Complexities in ownership and poor accessibility makes some areas of the riverside difficult to maintain.
• Invasive species are present along the riverside. 

This strategy has set out a series of vision principles for creating a well-connected and accessible IRP, in which people, places and nature can thrive. They aim to align with Salford City Council’s ambition to build a fairer, greener, healthier and more inclusive Salford for all. Each of the vision principles can be found below. 

A Connected Irwell:

• IRP will offer an uninterrupted, attractive and safe place to walk and cycle near to the river and will be easily accessible from local neighbourhoods and by public transport.
• This will be achieved through creating attractive and safe pedestrian and cycle routes, connecting broken and disjointed riverside routes, improving pedestrian crossings, cycle crossings and step-free routes, and integrating public transport stops into the IRP. 

A Resilient Irwell River Park:

• IRP will be resilient to climate change and be a place that allows and encourages nature to thrive.
• This will be achieved through protecting and enhancing existing vegetation and habitats, introducing new trees and planting, incorporating sustainable drainage systems, and encouraging green walls and green roofs as part of new developments. 
  Spaces and Places:
• Public spaces and parks will enable people and nature to experience and enrich IRP in a positive and meaningful way.
• This will be achieved through designing parks and spaces to have a positive relationship with the river, linking these spaces to nearby communities, offering places to sit, pause, rest, play and gather along the riverside, and incorporating natural riparian habitats. 

This is Irwell River Park:

• IRP will have a distinctive identity that reveals and celebrates the rich history, culture and significance of the river corridor.
• This will be achieved through creating gateways to announce the arrival at the IRP, introducing a coherent wayfinding strategy, and collaborating with local community groups, schools, artists and cultural organisations. 

All Are Welcome:

• IRP will be a place that anyone can access and benefit from and it will aim to promote inclusivity.
• This will be achieved through introducing step-free footpaths and attractive alternative routes, providing clear wayfinding components, creating playful and educational environments, and integrating frequent convenience facilities.

Irwell Legacy:

• IRP should be embraced as a city asset, that is positively shaped and promoted by local people and key stakeholders.
• This will be achieved through ensuring future developments engage with and activate the riverside, encouraging local artists to shape events and installations, engaging with local communities on stewardship, and investing in high quality promotional materials. 

As the IRP route follows the path of the River Irwell, it meanders through the City Centre. Whilst this is an enjoyable route, it does not offer the most direct route for some users. Therefore, this strategy has proposed two IRP links:

The Middlewood Link:

This will leave the southeastern part of The Meadows and join Chapel Street via a proposed footbridge. From Chapel Street, it will join Oldfield Road and then the canal side path within Middlewood Locks. It will then cross Trinity Way and join the IRP riverside route at the Ordsall Chord public space, adjacent to the Ordsall Footbridge.

Local landmarks and destinations that this route will connect to include The Meadows, Islington Mill, Aviva Studios and the linear park within the Crescent Development Framework.  

The Ordsall Link:

This will leave Salford Quays at Ontario Basin and cross Trafford Road before entering Ordsall Park at the southwestern entrance. It will then leave Ordsall Park via the northwestern entrance, travel down St Clements Drive to cross Ordsall Lane before joining the riverside route between Bridgewater Wharf and Maritime Court. Local landmarks and destinations that this route will connect to include Quayside at MediaCity, Ordsall Hall and Ordsall Park.   

For the purpose of this strategy, the IRP has been split into four character zones. These have been identified based on site visits, desktop study and recognition of the original IRP guidance from 2008. 

• The Meadows and Anaconda stretches from Peel Park to Greengate.
• Salford City stretches from Greengate to Middlewood Locks.
• Ordsall Riverside stretches from Middlewood Locks to the Trafford Road bridge.
• Salford Quays stretches from the Trafford Road bridge to the Media City Footbridge. 

Whilst this is not a full character assessment, it is important for this strategy to understand the character of each zone to inform appropriate application of the vision principles. 

The Meadows and Anaconda contains mature tree cover and extensive vegetation which provide a sense of wilderness and a feeling of separation from the City Centre. Several bridges promote movement across the river to footpaths either side and in several locations these footpaths broaden to provide areas of open space. However, in some locations, visibility of the river and access to the water’s edge is poor due to dense vegetation. Additionally, several buildings have no activation at ground level resulting in a lack of passive surveillance and a feeling of potential danger. Orientation and wayfinding are limited and there are areas where access to the riverside is via steps with no accessible route offered. 

This strategy has highlighted several ways to overcome these challenges, which can be found below.

• A cohesive wayfinding strategy could be implemented across the area to ensure easy navigation and provide a distinct sense of place. 
• Vegetation along the riverbanks may be thinned in some locations to improve visibility and access to the water’s edge. This could be complimented with a variety of public spaces, including seating, lighting and accessible footpaths to encourage use of the IRP by all.
• New developments should aim to include active frontages at the riverside and implement regular footpath links to adjacent developments to facilitate joining and/or exiting the riverside route. 
• Naturalistic play along the way features could be implemented at several locations along the riverside route. 

To implement the vision principles within the Meadows and Anaconda area, this strategy has identified a series of targeted project opportunities which can be found in the table below.

This strategy has tested the application of the vision with The Meadows and Anaconda area at Broughton Bridge. In this location, pedestrians and cyclists can move along both sides of the river and the existing mature tree and vegetation helps to provide a pleasant route and containment from the busy city centre environment. However, the riverside routes are severed by the A5066, there is no step free route to the IRP on the eastern side of the A5066 and there is a lack of activity or passive surveillance along the IRP due to large areas of undeveloped land. To address these challenges, this strategy has suggested a series of key interventions which can be found below.

Permeability and routes:

• Ensure potential new developments on the land between Velour Close and the A5066 respond positively to the river. 
• Introduce connecting routes through potential new developments to the riverside.
• Create a hierarchy of riverside spaces to include gateways, courtyards, café spill out, and footpaths.
• Replace the stepped routes at Riverside House with step-free access.

Gateways:

• Define key gateway points on the IRP either side of the A5066, and at the potential new development sites. 
• Engage with local artists to develop large scale installation pieces to resonate with the surroundings and community. 

Frontages and activation:

• Introduce play on the way features along the riverside adjacent to Riverside House to attract families. 
• Ensure spaces are well lit, overlooked or activated, and incorporate signage to aid wayfinding. 
• Ensure new developments interact with the IRP through active building frontages and routes to/from the riverside. 

The Salford City character area is the most commercially focused area within the IRP. In some areas, the river is flanked by buildings on both sides providing positive ground floor activation and there are several well-established public open spaces with distinct identities. There are also several opportunities to cross the river with good onwards connections to destinations in the City Centre. However, the lack of riverside route in some locations means the IRP route diverts away from the river and these diversion routes are poorly sign posted, sometimes highway focused and often not step-free. Additionally, there are several roads to cross along the IRP route, some of which are heavily trafficked and without a dedicated pedestrian crossing. 

This strategy has highlighted several ways to overcome these challenges, which can be found below.

• A cohesive wayfinding strategy could be implemented across the area, with particular focus on bridge landings, where the IRP route diverts from the riverside, and highlighting connections to onwards destinations such as museums, parks and heritage sites. 
• Improvements to the riverside route may focus on degraded areas or where the route has closed, to ensure it is accessible for all, well-lit, and well-managed. 
• Where the IRP routes diverts away from the riverside, pedestrian/cyclist movement should aim to be given priority over vehicular movement and routes could include street trees, sustainable drainage systems, and signage to onward destinations. 
• The ecological status of the water’s edge could be improved through selective thinning and enhancement of existing vegetation, to prevent overgrowth onto the footpath and manage the spread of invasive species.

To implement the vision principles within the Salford City area, this strategy has identified a series of targeted project opportunities which can be found in the table below.

This strategy has tested the application of the vision with the Salford City area at the connection between Greengate, Springfield Lane, and the riverside route. In this location, there is an opportunity to provide a high-quality IRP gateway space at the transition between Anaconda and the City Centre. However, Trinity Way severs the IRP route as it moves through Greengate and the environment in the underpass feels dark and unsafe. To address these challenges, this strategy has suggested a series of key interventions which can be found below. 

Routes:

• Create a well-lit, step-free and uninterrupted route along the riverside.
• Improve nearby streets including Springfield Lane, New Bridge Street and Greengate (street), so they offer legible and clear linking routes to the riverside.
• Enhance Trinity Way underpass through better lighting and artistic installations to improve perceptual qualities and safety.

Streets and spaces:

• Provide a hierarchy of spaces that define points of arrival at Springfield Lane, Trinity Way underpass, end of Greengate (street), and at Gorton Street.
• Ensure spaces are well lit, overlooked or activated, and incorporate signage to aid wayfinding.
• Define a high-quality alternative route to the IRP along Springfield Lane and Greengate (street), with street trees and sustainable drainage systems.

Visibility and safety:

• Establish regular maintenance of riverside vegetation adjacent to the Irwell Riverside housing development to maintain openness and visibility of the path.
• Replace tall and overgrown vegetation on the path that links the riverside and Trinity Way with new low-level planting and implement better lighting.
• Ensure new riverside planting is predominantly ground cover and avoid further tree planting immediately adjacent to the river.

The Ordsall Riverside character area allows good views towards the City Centre whilst providing a feeling of separation from the busy city centre environments. The riverside route doesn't have to navigate any major road crossings and most of it is step-free. Some of the riverside route uses good quality materials accompanied by benches and other street furniture. However, the riverside route is narrow in some places and there is not enough room for a pedestrian and cyclist to pass comfortably. Exacerbating this issue are the large Victorian style globe streetlights and the overgrown vegetation at the water’s edge. Many of the developments do not provide any activation at ground level or engage with the riverside and long extents of the riverside exist without any adjoining routes.

This strategy has highlighted several ways to overcome these challenges, which can be found below.

• A cohesive wayfinding strategy could provide explanation on heritage, wildlife and views, and provide directions to onwards destinations such as Ordsall Hall and Ordsall Park. 
• A new lighting strategy could implement modern LED lamps with slender columns to maximise the footpath space available. 
• Road underpass environments could be improved through lightings, good sight lines, and artistic installations involving the local community. 
• The surfacing of the riverside route should aim to be a consistent material with damaged and uneven areas repaired, and the riverside balustrades could be refurbished.
• Active frontages of developments along the riverside could provide passive surveillance, complemented with regular public realm areas with space for cafe spill out, informal play, and seating opportunities. 
• Overgrown and invasive vegetation could be managed to improve sight lines, accessibility and sense of space.

To implement the vision principles within the Ordsall Riverside area, this strategy has identified a series of targeted project opportunities which can be found in the table below.

This strategy has tested the application of the vision with the Ordsall Riverside area, specifically along St Clements Drive between St Clement’s Church and the riverside. This area is a key example where an attractive direct route from local neighbourhoods to the IRP can be established. This route can be part of the ‘Ordsall Link’, to provide onwards connections to Ordsall and The Quays via Ordsall Park. However, Ordsall Lane currently severs the route, pedestrians and cyclists don’t have priority over vehicles, and the setting for St Clement’s Church could be improved. To address these challenges, this strategy has suggested a series of key interventions which can be found below.

Community link:

• Provide a better-quality route for pedestrians and cyclists. 
• Introduce a new pedestrian crossing at the junction of St Clement’s Drive and Ordsall Lane.
• Place emphasis on public space at St Clement’s Church and at the riverside to define both ends of the route. 

Greener streets:

• Introduce new street trees and planting to St Clement’s Drive to improve the quality of the route.
• Make the space outside St Clement’s Church an extension of the green character of Ordsall Park.
• Integrate sustainable drainage systems as part of new planting.

Gateways and wayfinding:

• Provide clear wayfinding elements at key orientation points along the route.
• Ensure wayfinding elements highlight the ‘Ordsall Link’.

The Salford Quays character area has several culture and leisure destinations along with a well-established residential community. There is a lot of development and investment in the area, which proposes new buildings and associated public realm on most of the non-developed land. There are several Metrolink stops with good connections back to the City Centre and out to other areas of Greater Manchester. Despite the successes, connectivity is still a challenge. The Trafford Road Bridge and associated underpass are very poor ‘gateway’ environments for pedestrians. Moving through the Quays is confusing, as the route between Clippers Quay and The Lowry is not easy to navigate, exacerbated by the Holiday Inn Express obscuring views of the pedestrian bridge across Ontario Basin. 

This strategy has highlighted several ways to overcome these challenges, which can be found below.

• As the IRP route through this area is difficult to navigate, emphasis could be placed on signage to direct pedestrians and cyclists to main thoroughfares and away from quiet residential areas. Signage could also provide directions to onwards destinations such as IWM North, Langworthy and Trafford Wharfside. 
• New and accessible public spaces may be introduced to link with existing spaces and offer activation, seating, opportunities to pause and informal play opportunities. 
• The existing Manchester River Cruise trips could be complemented with smaller boats and the reintroduction of the water taxis, and the existing facilities at the watersports centre could be enhanced to facilitate more frequent use of the river for activities. 
• Sustainable drainage systems and street trees should also be implemented to improve the biodiversity of the area and promote a connected green environment. 
• The ecological status of the water’s edge could be improved through selective thinning and enhancement of existing vegetation, and measures such as floating reed beds where space is minimal.

This strategy has identified a series of targeted project opportunities of varying levels of complexity for the Salford Quays area. These can be found in the table below.

This strategy has tested the application of the vision with the Salford Quays area at Clippers Quay. This area is located at the arrival point into The Quays from the IRP route. It benefits from recent residential development which has improved activation of the riverside and introduced trees and planting. To further enhance the area, a shallow existing inlet from the main river provides an opportunity to create a unique riverside experience. New wetland habitats with boardwalks and seating would enable people to interact with nature along with enhancing biodiversity. To enable this, this strategy has suggested a series of key interventions which can be found below. 

New connections:

• Provide new opportunities to interact with the water’s edge and meander over the water. 
• Improve pedestrian connectivity through Clippers Quay, allowing it to become a more direct alternative to the riverside route. 
• Enable pedestrian and cyclist movement over the river via a new footbridge between Clippers Quay and Trafford Wharfside.

Improved gateways:

• Reinforce the riverside route with new spaces at the Trafford Road underpass, Clippers Quay, between Clippers House and Optimum House and at the riverside next to the Copthorne Hotel. 
• Create an art focused gateway feature in the Trafford Road underpass. 
• Provide a landmark arrival space at the landing of the new footbridge with seating, lighting, trees, planting, play on the way features and wayfinding elements. 

Enhanced biodiversity:

• Improve biodiversity and ecological value through wetland habitat creation.

This strategy has identified several key design principles to guide the design of new development and public realm adjacent to the river within the IRP. Firstly, the frontages and activation of new buildings should aim to positively interact with the riverside and nearby routes, creating a well-activated, overlooked and safe environment. Key steps to achieve this may include locating primary entrances on the riverside, orientating windows and balconies towards the riverside, and ensuring building footprints allow for sufficient public space at the riverside. 

Secondly, new developments should aim to promote use of the riverside through well-proportioned and accessible routes and consistent and legible wayfinding. Key steps to achieve this may include routes with space for pedestrians and cyclists to pass each other, DDA compliant routes, routes surfaced in durable materials, and clear wayfinding features. Thirdly, the street furniture and lighting should aim to provide comfort and safety. Key steps to achieve this may include seating at regular intervals with back rests and arm rests, space for wheelchair users, regular bins and collections, and pedestrian scale lighting that provides uniformity of light levels. 

Finally, green and blue infrastructure could be an integral part of new developments. Key steps to achieve this may include sustainable drainage systems within the public realm, space for meaningful planting, a variety of plant species to increase biodiversity, and private residential terraces that are orientated towards the riverside. 

This strategy has suggested the following framework for optimum spatial requirements to facilitate active travel along the riverside:

• The zone closest to the river could be the primary active travel route. Both a 2m wide pedestrian route and a 3m wide two-way delineated cycle route could be provided. Whilst 5m would provide the total optimum width; it is acknowledged that this may not be achievable in some locations due to existing constraints.
• The zone next to the active travel route could include seating, lighting, bins and cycle parking to provide comfort and safety for users. This zone could be separate from the primary active travel route so that features within it would not inhibit accessibility. The optimum width for this zone would be 1m. 
• The zone immediately adjacent to riverside buildings could provide areas for planting, spill-out or defensible space. The optimum width for this zone would be 2m. 

Users should be able to navigate through the IRP using a coherent and consistent signage and interpretation strategy. This could consider collaboration with local artists and groups as well as neighbouring key stakeholders to ensure a coordinated and well-integrated approach. A suggested wayfinding approach is set out below. 

Gateways:

These could be located at landmark places upon arrival into the IRP. These features may be of a large scale such as archways and gateposts. 

Place markers:

These could be located at key destinations, or locations of historic or cultural interest. They may include features such as totem signs and finger posts. 

Information boards:

These could communicate notable points of interest using a combination of words, imagery and sound.