First phase of ECF’s £2.5bn Salford masterplan tipped for consent.

Spanning 29 acres of the Salford Crescent regeneration zone, the innovation district could feature up to 1.7m sq ft of workspace and 933 homes.

Salford City Council’s planning committee will meet next week to determine the application. Officers have recommended ECF’s project be approved, describing it as “wholly transformative” and a “regionally and nationally significant innovation district”.

Read the full planning officer report 

ECF hopes to deliver the following elements between Broughton Road East and University Road across buildings reaching up to 11 storeys:

  • 1.4m sq ft of commercial innovation floorspace
  • Up to 933 homes
  • 71,000 sq ft of learning facilities
  • A 260,000 sq ft multistorey movement hub with 800 parking spaces
  • 25,000 sq ft of space earmarked for cafes, shops, drinking establishments and a gym.
  • All buildings within the site, dubbed Crescent Innovation North, would be demolished except for Innovation House, which would be refurbished.

The Salford Innovation Forum on Frederick Road will be retained.

ECF submitted an application for the scheme to Salford City Council 12 months ago. To learn more, search for reference number 23/81238/OUTEIA on the city council’s planning portal.

CBRE is advising ECF on planning and Make Architects is leading on design.

A key infrastructure element of the Innovation Zone is Salford Rise – a near five-acre podium to be constructed over Frederick Road to unlock development potential within the 250-acre masterplan.