The enormous plans for Salford and Trafford

From the Manchester Ship Canal at Old Trafford, through Port Salford and on to Carrington, massive change is planned

Massive regeneration plans in Salford and Trafford could lead to thousands of new homes being built and massive new builds for businesses.

The two councils are teaming up with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) in a project known as the Western Gateway, aimed at creating new jobs and places to live.

It stretches across both boroughs in a corridor roughly following the Manchester Ship Canal from Old Trafford through Port Salford to Carrington, with key locations earmarked for change on both sides of the waterway.

The area has been chosen as one of six key growth locations in Greater Manchester, identified as places for massive economic development.

Bosses behind the plans say it could transform the areas and bring several benefits to the region and residents, as well as attracting new businesses.

But the project is also aimed at getting investment for a number of transport and infrastructure upgrades, which the plans depend on.

The Western Gateway scheme was discussed by Salford city mayor Paul Dennett and his cabinet team in January, where it was revealed the work could create more than 5,000 new jobs in the city and pump more than £6m into Salford through business rates.

A new Salford council report states that some of the funding for the Western Gateway project will be ‘subject to the individual site business cases,’ and found through ‘appropriate investment sources that fit with the intended purpose.’

An assessment by Ekosgen in 2023 found that the Western Gateway could create more than 21,000 new jobs in total.

The huge project is expected to get the backing of Salford council at its next cabinet meeting on June 10, a crucial step in pushing the plans forward.

It will then go to Trafford council’s executive on June 16, with the papers due to be published this Friday (June 6).

The Salford council report on the project has revealed the enormous scale of change that could be delivered.

Salford

Port Salford is a key part of the plans.

Situated on the Manchester Ship Canal, the site is set to become a huge distribution hub with access by ship, rail, and land, with access to the Manchester-Liverpool railway line and the M62.

Planning permission is already in place for phase one of the work at the port, covering 115,000 sqm of commercial space in the terminal building, and sheds two, three and four.

Phase two of Port Salford aims to expand bigger still, adding an extra 320,000 sqm of commercial space, which has been included in Greater Manchester’s Places for Everyone plan, to be released from the greenbelt as an employment site.

But the report states that these changes are ‘highly dependent’ on improving access to the port, with the need to create new slip roads from the M60 and a new rail terminal.

Another key part of the Western Gateway is Eccles, where Salford council is leading a scheme to breathe new life to the town centre.

The council bought Eccles Shopping Centre in 2022 for £4.15m after concerns about growing numbers of empty shops and dwindling footfall.

A massive redevelopment is proposed, aimed at creating a new future for the town.

Demolition work at the shopping centre finally got started in March when the bulldozers rolled in to knock down 14 retail units, the multi-storey car park, and a hall which once housed an indoor market.

Exactly what will replace the shopping centre is still to be decided, but the council hopes to appoint a development partner to start working on designs later this year.

The third development area within Salford is the land around Salford Community Stadium, which the council bought for £7.7m last year in a deal with former co-owners Peel.

The plan is to use land around the ground for development, creating a new hub for businesses.

Trafford

Several regeneration sites in Trafford are included in the Western Gateway plans, Salford council's report states.

Trafford Waters, based within TraffordCity, is set to become a new residential community with 3,000 homes alongside services such as a health centre, a hotel and offices.

Outline planning permission has been granted for the 3,000 homes, as well as 87,000 sqm of office and commercial space, a hotel, and a care home.

But completion of the future work at Trafford Waters depends on access improvements, including around Port Salford.

Trafford Civic Quarter is another part of the project where there are plans to build 4,000 new homes and 50,000 sqm of commercial spaces across 55 hectares of land.

Some of this development is already being built, such as a 639-home community known as Lumina Village, while others are in the pipeline at the former Centrica Site and the former Greater Manchester Police headquarters building.

Several schemes in TraffordCity worth more than £300m are aiming to transform the area into a ‘flagship tourist destination’ in the UK.

One of the major developments is the Therme Spa, a leisure space spanning 1.5 hectares with a floorspace of 62,000 sqm, which has received planning permission with work already started on site.

New Carrington has been labelled a major area for growth in Trafford in the next decade, with plans for 5,000 new homes and 350,000 sqm of business space by the 2040s.

Around 2,000 homes have already started being built after getting planning permission, but Salford council’s report states there is a funding requirement for the 3.5 km Carrington Relief Road, billed ‘essential for delivering the consented and future schemes.’

A planning application for the road is due to be submitted later in the summer of 2025, the report added, with its progression depending on securing funds from the government, with construction potentially starting in 2027/28.

The Old Trafford regeneration plans will be led by a separate Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC), but located within the Western Gateway.

It includes Manchester United’s plans to build a new 100,000-seater stadium.

A wharfside masterplan has been published alongside the stadium development, aiming to build up to 5,000 homes.

The total number of homes which could be built as part of regeneration around Old Trafford stands at 17,000.

However, Salford council’s report states there is a ‘funding requirement gap’ related to transport infrastructure and land assembly, linked to the possible relocation of rail freight.

The report continues: ‘One of the key constraints is the closure of the heavy rail station, which hinders the scale and intensity of growth. Re-opening the rail station would bring multiple benefits to the development.’

What the councils say

Salford city mayor Paul Dennett said: “The proposals for The Western Gateway Development Zone (WGDZ) are very dynamic and can bring significant inclusive growth and economic benefits to both Salford, Trafford and Greater Manchester.

“This is an important opportunity to strategically focus on development activity across our city with our partners to create jobs, homes and employment space as well as retail and leisure space.

“We will lobby National Highways on infrastructure requirements for the North. Previous studies reported congestion issues on the M60 and M62 and highlighted recommendations on new corridor packages to ease this congestion.

“The overall aim of our WGDZ is to optimise the growth to deliver a significant contribution to regional and national economic outcomes, while also creating a fairer, greener, healthier and more inclusive city. These are exciting times, as we work strategically to make our aspirations become a reality that local people can benefit from."

Coun Liz Patel, Trafford council’s executive member for economy and regeneration, said: “We are delighted to be working together with our partners at Salford City Council and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority on this transformative plan to supercharge investment and improvement across a huge area.

"In Trafford, the focus ranges from Stretford town centre, and the Civic Quarter, to New Carrington, Partington and Trafford Waters.

“It will bring together the exciting regeneration and developments already under way, creating thousands of new eco-friendly homes and quality jobs.

"We will see a whole range of opportunities for residents, businesses and visitors, to make the most our vibrant, well-connected locations and great transport network.”