Works are now underway at Oldfield Basin, a new residential development on the former Regent Trading Estate brownfield site, with Eric Wright Construction appointed as the main contractor to deliver the project for ECF and Salford City Council.
This £29m residential project is the third Passivhaus scheme that Eric Wright Construction has delivered for ECF – the partnership between Homes England, L&G and Muse – following on from the success of Greenhaus and Willohaus. The new development is made up of 63 one and two-bedroom apartments and 27 three-bedroom townhouses, all meeting the Passivhaus Low Energy Building Standard.
Paul Dennett, Salford City Mayor, commented “It’s great that works have started on these high-quality, energy-efficient homes on the former Regent Trading Estate in the Ordsall ward, aimed at supporting residents and families in our city with reducing their energy bills, especially given the on-going impacts of the cost-of-living crisis, the global volatility of our energy markets and the real impacts this is having on households in Salford.
“The scheme builds on what has been achieved so far working in partnership with the local community and partners to retain, restore and repurpose the much-loved heritage assets of Islington and New Islington Mills, while further safeguarding the role that our artists, creatives & makers play within the life of our city.
“The scheme also supports the progress we’re continuing to make in our city in delivering new energy efficient homes, such as the Greenhaus and Willohaus developments in the Blackfriars & Trinity and Ordsall wards and our new energy efficient & truly affordable Derive homes being delivered across the city.
“Importantly, this development will also help progress our collective ambitions within Greater Manchester to be a carbon neutral city-region by 2038, improving the quality of life for our residents and families. It is exactly the kind of innovative development that will ensure Salford remains a vibrant, healthy, and inclusive place to live for generations to come.”
Alan McBride, Director of Project Management at ECF, commented “Work commencing on the delivery of a third development of highly sustainable Passivhaus homes in Salford marks another significant milestone on ECF’s journey to create a greener, cleaner Salford.
“Alongside ECF’s completed Passivhaus developments at Greenhaus and Willohaus, with our partners, we’re demonstrating our commitment to breathing new life into Salford through sustainable future-proofed communities, and we look forward to seeing Oldfield Basin come to life over the next two years.”
John Hartnett, Managing Director at Eric Wright Construction, said “We are delighted to have commenced works on site in partnership with our valued client, ECF, to deliver our third Passivhaus residential development for the communities of Salford.
“It’s great to see works on site progressing. The project is constrained on three sides by a railway line, a busy road to the city centre and Islington Mill Arts Club which includes neighbouring businesses, that will remain open during construction. Our team will continue to work closely and collaboratively with the client, stakeholders and the surrounding community to ensure the successful delivery of the project, whilst minimising disruption wherever possible.”
Passivhaus homes are designed to provide a comfortable environment for residents, reducing energy bills by up to 90% compared to traditional housing, helping residents to reduce their fuel bills. This is achieved through a whole-building approach to efficient, high-quality construction, which is independently tested and verified.
The residential development is due to complete in spring 2028.
