A Greener Salford – tackling the climate emergency

In Salford we have declared a climate emergency and want to galvanise local support to make a real difference.

We are working as part of the Greater Manchester Five-Year Environment Plan.

A five-minute video has been released to highlight our commitment to innovation and a challenging target of 2038 for carbon neutrality in the city.

Some of the key green projects are around sustainable energy infrastructure projects, climate resilience schemes and active travel.

Here are a few of the green projects in Salford:

• 6,500 solar panels have been installed on 38 public buildings, generating over 3,000 MWh of energy every year.

• Air source heat pump systems have been installed at 14 public buildings to replace previous heating systems that relied on fossil fuels to heat the building.

• Battery energy storage systems have been installed at four public buildings. These systems store excess energy from solar panels and then redistributes it during the day.

• A 3,774-panel solar farm has been built in Little Hulton and generates enough electricity each year to power the equivalent of more than 600 homes.

• £126 million has been invested in green spaces, creating new country park and walking and cycling routes across the city.

• 30 electric vehicles are now being used in council areas such as street cleaning, refuse collection, recycling collection monitoring; and highways.

• 419 new affordable eco-homes are being built through our own housing company.

• There are approximately 15km of off-road and on-road segregated cycle routes along with more than 20km of shared footways and on-road markings for cyclists.

• The Kersal Wetlands storage basin reduces the risk of flooding for 1,400 homes and 500 local businesses. It can hold enough water to fill 268 swimming pools.

Climate change is increasing the risks of flooding, extreme heat and other severe weather events. By acting now to both reduce emissions and adapt to future conditions, we can create safer, healthier and more resilient communities.

This page was last updated on 28 August 2026