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Plans for thousands of new homes and a major public park are edging closer to becoming reality as part of a regeneration project spanning Manchester and Salford . A development masterplan is expected to get the backing of both city councils next week. It covers Strangeways and the Cambridge Industrial Estate in Broughton , as well as Bury New Road, Cheetham Hill Road, and Cheetham Park in Manchester. The blueprint includes 7,000 new homes ‘across seven distinct neighbourhoods’ alongside health facilities and a 60-acre public space in Salford set to be called Copper Park. To see planning applications; traffic and road diversions and layout changes; and more, visit the Public Notices Portal HERE It follows a public consultation where ‘complex and mixed responses’ to the plans surfaced, including some ‘significant concerns’ around potential issues such as flooding and traffic congestion. Salford council said the areas are facing other issues such as ‘fragmented land ownership’, but the masterplan aims to find ‘long-term solutions’ to overcome barriers to future growth. Most people who responded to the consultation ‘expressed strong support for regeneration of the area, describing development as long overdue and welcoming investment’ according to a summary report. Salford council’s cabinet will be first to discuss the public feedback on November 11, during a meeting where it is set to approve the development masterplan before it goes to Manchester town hall the next day. Once approved, the ‘Strangeways and Cambridge Strategic Regeneration Framework’ will become a material consideration for future planning applications, opening the door for the work to move forward. HMP Manchester in the heart of Strangeways is one of the factors considered in the plans. Manchester council has made clear its hopes to relocate the prison further away from the city’s expanding centre. Council leader Bev Craig said in September that the town hall is in talks with the government to resolve its future. She said at the time: “We are pushing this government like the last one to say the future isn’t a prison in our city centre, let’s work together to get it relocated to do something special in the area.” Join the Manchester Evening News WhatsApp group HERE Flooding is another concern that has come up, with the development plan noting that the Cambridge area of Salford has ‘a long history of flood risk’. Copper Park is aimed at being ‘a major new green space to manage flood risk’ as well as creating more public open spaces in the city centre area. Salford Mayor Paul Dennett said approving the plans would mark a ‘significant step forward’ for transforming the areas. He added: “Informed by detailed flood modelling, the framework sets out a proactive strategy that embraces nature-based solutions and resilient design to ensure the Cambridge area can adapt to the impacts of climate change over the coming decades. “The proposals in the framework seek to identify the best possible options for this area, including the exciting opportunity to create a new city park for all, alongside appropriate levels of mixed-use development to continue to drive sustainable growth. “With strong community roots and a rich cultural heritage, this area is brimming with potential and together we can deliver transformational change creating new homes, jobs, and green spaces that reflect the aspirations of our residents and support a greener, fairer future.” Bev Craig, leader of Manchester council, said: “The formal adoption of this framework is a milestone that we will remember for Strangeways as we move from vision to delivery and the beginning of a long-term regeneration programme for this part of our city. “We know this is an area that has faced challenges, and we have worked closely with partners – including GMP through Operation Vulcan – to create lasting change and opportunity for these neighbourhoods. “This is about supporting businesses, creating jobs through growth, and building the homes our residents need in neighbourhoods that they are proud of. “Already we are seeing extensive development activity in this area, including significant new social rent and shared ownership housing on site now. “But this is only the beginning of an incredibly exciting decade and more for Strangeways.”
