Welcome to our consultation website
H2O Urban are bringing forward proposals for a new high-quality residential development at Upper Wharf Street, Salford.
We are keen to hear feedback from the local community whilst our plans are still taking shape. After the consultation closes, we will consider all of the feedback before finalising the proposals and submitting a planning application.
Introducing our partnership
H2O Urban is a specialist waterside development company owned by the Canal & River Trust and bloc Ltd.
The Canal & River Trust is the national charity that protects, manages and improves the nation’s canals and river navigations for the millions who enjoy them.
bloc group is a developer that specialises in bringing forward impact developments in partnership with public and private sector landowners that contribute positively to the social and environmental value of the local area.
The H2O Urban partnership propose to bring forward a development that will contribute to the ongoing regeneration of Salford and deliver much needed homes in the area.
Aerial image of the site.
Crescent Development Framework
The Upper Wharf Street site is located in the southern part of the area covered by the Crescent Development Framework known as Zone 6 ‘The Crescent’, which provides clear guidance for future development of the Crescent area to ensure it becomes a successful and vibrant new district in Salford. The Framework identifies the site as an area that is appropriate for high density residential development.
The Framework also sets out the desire to provide a linear park along the line of the former Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal, and eventually open up and restore the historic canal once funding is available.
Our plans seek to help realise the vision outlined in the Framework and help contribute towards its goal of transforming the area into a world class, globally recognised destination for people to live, learn, work, visit and play.
Gaythorne Street Arm.
Lock 5 Head Gates - view towards Oldfield Road.
Aerial Photograph of Upper Wharf Street.
Plan showing the height of other buildings around the proposed site.
Emerging site context
The site is bordered to the north by several buildings of considerable height ranging from 6 to 23 storeys. The most prominent of these are Outwood Wharf Phase 1 and Outward Wharf Phase 2, which reach 16 storeys and 23 storeys respectively.
Apart from these newer developments, the environment around the site is largely characterised by surface car parks and vacant plots, which reflects the way in which the area was previously dominated by the Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal and the various wharves which have since been lost. Meanwhile, the majority of the buildings that do exist in the area are relatively new and have been constructed in recent years. As such, the site presents a great opportunity to deliver new homes and enhance the local area.
The site
The proposed site is bound by Upper Wharf Street to the north, Oldfield Road to the east, the railway line to the south and land owned by the Canal & River Trust to the west. The site is currently a piece of land which is used to store commercial vehicles and historically as a waste management plant. The line of the former Manchester, Bolton, and Bury Canal runs through the site, which has been historically infilled following its abandonment.
Crescent Development Framework Masterplan.
Site history
The former line of the Manchester, Bolton & Bury Canal is located along the southern boundary of the Crescent Zone. The canal was commissioned by local landowners and businessmen and was constructed between 1791 and 1808 to connect Bolton and Bury with Manchester. This stretch of the canal has since been culverted and is now largely infilled.
The project team have worked closely with the Canal & River Trust’s engineering team to establish the line of the former canal on site and agree the exclusion zone required for the reinstatement of the canal at some point in the future. Indeed, the proposed development will be delivered in a way that will allow for the future reinstatement of the canal should funding become available.
Overview of our proposals
The proposals include two new buildings, providing approximately 204 new homes in a mix of 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom apartments, all of which would be offered for rent.
The development proposes a range of on-site amenities, such as a gym, communal spaces and social areas, which will help to foster a vibrant residential community.
102 1-bedroom apartments
102 2-bedroom apartments
The proposals also seek to realise the Crescent Framework’s ambition of providing a publicly accessible linear park along the line of the former Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal, and to eventually open up and restore the historic canal once funding becomes available. The park would also include a cycle and pedestrian link that would connect with the wider network of paths in the area and into the city centre, helping to promote active travel.
Design
Height and massing
The project team have developed the height and massing of the proposed buildings to respond to the environmental and heritage constraints that the existing site presents. A number of design options have been tested and the proposed massing presents the most appropriate response to the site.
The scheme proposes a 7 and 11 storey block ascending in scale from Oldfield Road towards the future linear park that will broadly run along the line of the former Manchester, Bolton & Bury Canal.
Materials
The choice of materials will reflect the neighbourhood palette to ensure that the distinct industrial identity of the area is retained. In line with this guidance and the architectural context of other buildings in close proximity to the site, we are proposing to use red brick as the principal material to help further enhance the area’s industrial aesthetic. The materials will be self-finished and of the highest quality, which will help to create a visually interesting and contextual facade.
Precedent images of the proposed materials
CGI: View of the proposed new buildings from the railway line.
CGI: Aerial view of the proposed new buildings.
A sustainable design
A range of measures will be implemented to make the development as sustainable as possible:
Photovoltaics (PV’s) will be incorporated into the development to generate renewable electricity on site.
Mechanical ventilation systems incorporating heat recovery (MVHR) will be installed to reduce energy usage.
An electric hot water cylinder with low standing heat loss will be installed within each dwelling to generate domestic hot water.
Low-flow water fittings will be installed reduce operational water consumption.
Artificial lighting installed throughout the scheme will be low energy LED lighting.
100% cycle parking provision equating to 210 cycle parking spaces.
100% of the residential parking spaces delivered as part of the scheme shall have access to a ‘fast’-type electric vehicle charge point.
2 car club spaces will also be provided.
Linear park
As part of the proposals, a new publicly accessible linear park would be created along the southern part of the site. Broadly following the line of the former Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal, the park would provide an attractive green external environment for new residents to enjoy.
Our plans include the incorporation of gardens, tree-lined pathways, and new shrub and wildflower planting. Attention will also be given to creating inviting communal spaces and amenities, such as seated areas, recreational facilities and natural play elements for children, helping to foster a sense of community and promote social interaction between residents.
Landscape masterplan.
The park will not only provide a new green amenity space for both new and existing residents, it will also promote active forms of travel via the inclusion of a cycle and pedestrian link that will connect with the wider Bee Line network of paths in the area and into the city centre (see below). This would benefit the proposed development in terms of improving connectivity in the local area, whilst also improving the city-wide cycle and pedestrian movement.
Map showing the proposed pedestrian and cycle links alongside existing links in the area.
Parking
The site is situated in a highly sustainable location within City Centre Salford close to a range of services, facilities and amenities. It is accessible by a range of non-car modes including walking, cycling and public transport and presents a significant opportunity to reduce reliance on private vehicle use.
The development proposal has therefore been designed to take advantage of the highly sustainable nature of the site and accessibility to multiple transport nodes.
The development will include 210 secure cycle parking spaces across the residential buildings to encourage sustainable methods of transport. A proportion of disabled parking and car club parking spaces will also be provided. All car parking spaces will be provided with access to a ‘fast’-type electric vehicle charge point.
Precedent images informing our landscape approach.
Spatial arrangement.
Accessibility and movement.
Incorporating heritage.
Access and transport
The site is well placed to serve new residents due to it being ideally located within the heart of Salford. It has a range of public transport links within close proximity, which will help to encourage sustainable forms of travel whilst simultaneously reducing residents’ reliance on cars. Salford Crescent Railway Station is just a short walk away, which provides frequent services to key Manchester rail stations and other local destinations such as Rochdale, Blackburn, Leeds, Stalybridge and Manchester Airport. In addition, the site is also close to a number of key bus stops to the north of the site along the A6.
Being just a short distance from Manchester city centre, residents will also have the added convenience of easy access to a wide range of amenities, services, and cultural attractions. Residents will also be able to enjoy a vibrant nightlife, world-class restaurants and diverse shopping opportunities just a stone's throw away on the other side of the River Irwell.
Site connectivity.
Get Involved
This consultation is now closed.
Webinar
As part of the consultation, we hosted a webinar on Wednesday 26 July 2023 from 5.30pm – 6.30pm.
If you were unable to attend, don’t worry as it’s available to view to the right.