News

Turley’s Heritage and Townscape expertise supports Henley’s plans for Regent Park, Salford’s New Green Neighbourhood

Henley Investment Management has submitted an outline planning application for a new, green mixed-use neighbourhood on the boundary of Salford and Manchester to bring jobs, housing and new community amenities to the local area.

We provided expert Heritage and Townscape services to Henley for the plans submitted to Salford City Council to transform the 130,000 sq ft site at Regent Retail Park, into a new retail, residential and community neighbourhood. The site is designated as a Local Centre under Salford City Council’s planning policy, ensuring that a considerable amount of retail space is retained.

Regent Park has been conceived by Henley in partnership with MattBrook Architects, developing a masterplan which will deliver a vibrant placemaking-led new urban quarter.  

Regent Park aims to create a modern, mixed-use local centre for Salford, that meets the retail and service needs of the existing and future residents and includes a diverse range of uses, contributing to a strong day and night economy.   

Director, Heritage and Townscape, Kerrie Melrose, says:

“This is a significant and exciting project for Salford and Manchester. We are proud to have supported Henley in assessing and advising on complex heritage and townscape considerations, including appropriate measures to minimise impacts on heritage assets and to enhance the urban environment as part of the fabric of the area. 

“These contributions have helped guide the development’s integration with the wider townscape and historic context including key views across the city and we are pleased to see the application be submitted.”

Ian Rickwood, Chief Executive, Henley Investment Management, comments:

“Our vision is to create a new green and sustainable neighbourhood for Salford, one that meets the needs of future generations. Regent Park will deliver a new local centre for the area, with retail, community and green space at the heart of the plans. Our proposals will bring forward more and enhanced retail space, a new park and village square, along with much needed high-quality homes.

“We’ve undertaken extensive public consultation with the local community, stakeholders and the council and we look forward to continuing to work together.”

The scheme includes five acres of public open space, with West Union Park at its heart, a 3.5 acre park accompanied by new children’s play space and a village square, able to host pop-up events. The park provides a valuable community asset that supports a variety of activities and enhances Salford’s green infrastructure network, as well as providing new habitat and biodiversity net gain.

The proposal reimagines the brownfield site, promoting efficient use of land, to provide new homes in an urban location, easing pressure on Green Belt land. The plans will create a new residential community and deliver up to 3,300 high-quality new homes (mix of types and tenures, including affordable).

A ‘people first’ development and a place where people will dwell, walk and cycle, Regent Park’s new routes will open up connections with nearby neighbourhoods and create an inclusive new space. The development will integrate with transport routes, for simpler, safer and sustainable connections between Salford and Manchester.

Regent Park will provide jobs during and after the construction phase and it is anticipated that the scheme will generate a net gain of at least 40 jobs from the new retail provision alone, as well as economic benefits to the wider area.

26 July 2024