Crescent Salford wins £9.9m grant for walking and cycling links

Crescent Salford has been awarded £9.9m from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s Good Growth Fund to improve public spaces and create accessible walking and cycling routes across its masterplan.

The funding is intended to strengthen connections between new developments, the University of Salford campus, surrounding communities and public transport networks. The work will support plans for new homes, education facilities, jobs and commercial spaces.

The £2.5bn, 240-acre masterplan is among the projects selected for the next phase of the fund, which aims to accelerate regeneration and support long-term growth across the city region through investment in homes, employment opportunities, innovation spaces and transport infrastructure.

Crescent Salford is being delivered by Salford City Council, the University of Salford and ECF, a partnership between Homes England’s National Housing Bank, L&G and Muse. The partners say the masterplan will bring together industry, education and community, creating a place to live, learn, work, visit and thrive.

Charlie Alcroft, Development Manager at ECF, said: “As the Crescent Salford masterplan continues to gather pace, this grant from the Good Growth Fund will enable us to deliver the infrastructure needed to unlock the next phase of regeneration, creating stronger connections between new places, the University campus, surrounding communities and public transport networks.

“Accessibility, connectivity and sustainability are all key to the masterplan, and through new walking and cycling routes alongside improved public spaces, we hope to encourage active travel and enable the wider community to benefit from the world-class facilities being delivered at the University and throughout Crescent Salford.

“The funding Crescent Salford has received to date is a testament to the shared vision and ambition of all the partners involved to unlock Salford’s potential, drive growth and create opportunities for people from across the city and beyond.”

Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett said: “This is a transformative investment for Salford. The £9.9 million funding boost will help unlock the next phase of the Crescent Salford regeneration programme, delivering greener streets, better public spaces and high-quality walking and cycling links. It’s about creating a healthier, more connected city where residents can easily access the opportunities and benefits that growth brings.”

The University of Salford also received a £4.8m Good Growth Fund grant to equip Energy House 2.0 with pioneering solar-radiation testing capability, opening up new possibilities for innovation in energy performance.

A previous allocation to Adelphi Village, the masterplan’s main residential area, funded the creation of 336 new homes. Many are intended for social or affordable rent and will be built to Passivhaus standard.

Mark Wantling, Chief Infrastructure Officer at University of Salford, said: “The Good Growth funding will support our new developments around Peel Park on the south side of Salford Crescent, including Faraday House and the Business School, pending planning approval. We are in the middle of extensive redevelopment of our buildings and public realm to improve this area of Salford Crescent for our students, staff and the community and we look forward to working with our partners in ECF to deliver the changes.”