Salford City Council today launched its search for partners to help deliver the first phase of The Crescent – an ambitious joint masterplan with the University of Salford to create a new enterprise, education and arts neighbourhood.

First phase opportunities will include new residential of all tenures, both low rise housing and high density, a new hotel & conferencing facilities, new live/work units, multi storey car parks and the opportunity to repurpose existing heritage buildings to provide social and cultural spaces and a new school.

Speaking at the MIPIM property conference in France, Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett said: “We want a partner, or number of partners, who truly understand the nature of public/private partnerships and can deliver high quality urban growth.

“This is one of the region’s most exciting opportunities to create a truly world class place to live, learn and visit with a university at its heart.

“We have seen the march of development out of Manchester to Greengate to Chapel Street and New Bailey and now The Crescent. Salford has a strong track record of already working with good partners delivering great things.

“Turning this masterplan into a reality on the ground will require significant capital investment and partnership working and we are determined that it will not be done piecemeal with the best plots picked off but delivered as a whole with culture and place making at its heart. This will ensure the benefits of growth have the widest inclusive impact across the city.”

The partnership approach will see the university consolidate development to the north of The Crescent on its campus. This allows the city council and university owned land and property to be designed and planned in a comprehensive way, opening up sites for a modern, residential environment already surrounded by 25 hectares of historic park land, riverside and jewels of history such as Peek Hall, the old fire station and Salford Museum and Art Gallery.

The masterplan, by 5plus Architects, creates a high quality cultural gateway connecting these historic assets to new development significantly enhancing the visitor draw to the area. The gateway will be rejuvenated with quality landscaping and activation of ground floors with new cultural, food and drink uses at Fire Station Square.

It also outlines extensive new landscaping and transport links including the potential to turn the line of the former Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal into a high-quality walking – cycling connection and linear park.

5plus director Tony Skipper said: “The brief was to create a coherent and connected city district and it is unashamedly ambitious. It crystalised into five distinct areas which both respect the uniqueness and soul of Salford and allow it to grow and encourage all forms of thinking to flourish.”

A new website for the project has been launched www.salfordcrescent.com where Investors and developers can register interest and keep updated with information.

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