More than 260 new homes have been approved on the former site of an award-winning building in Salford. The old Adelphi and Centenary Building on Peru Street were demolished last year to make way for new housing, and now a new complex of three apartment blocks has been greenlit.
Details of the Development
The scheme comprises three five to six storey apartment blocks with a total of 263 homes. The Centenary Building, which won the Royal Institute of British Architects Stirling Prize in 1996 and was regarded as 'the UK's best new building' at the time, had sat empty for years before being bulldozed in October last year.
Now ECF, a partnership between developers and government agencies, has permission to transform the area into two L-shaped blocks around a green courtyard. These will contain 74 and 77 one, two, and three-bedroom apartments for sale and private rental, along with a longer tower block offering 112 affordable homes, mostly single-bedroom units with four two-bed apartments.
Community Benefits and Design
Steve Thomas, senior development officer for ECF, told a planning meeting on June 12 that the development would introduce 'a strong place-making strategy' by adding more green spaces, better pedestrian and cycle links, and more affordable homes. He said: "The proposal has been put together through extensive consultation with the council and the local community, and the many benefits of this scheme include the regeneration of an underused brownfield site, well-designed and energy-efficient new homes, and the creation of several job opportunities."
Plans include closing off Peru Street to through traffic to create a small green space for residents. There will be eight accessible car parking spaces, with residents expected to rely on 'well-connected, sustainable public transport links'.
Councillor Criticism and Defence
The application received only one objection and was widely welcomed by councillors. However, Councillor Bob Clarke criticised the design, saying: "This has no architectural value whatsoever. It's a blot on the landscape, it's just a block. These buildings never age well and I wish more could be done to cover it in some greenery. It looks like something out of post-war East Berlin."
Others defended the design, arguing it 'echoed the architectural language of the surrounding area' and carried nods to the former uses of the site.
Part of Larger Regeneration
The application was passed, allowing another major part of the Salford Crescent regeneration to proceed. The £2.5bn project by ECF – comprising urban developers Muse, Homes England, and L&G – aims to transform 240 acres around the university. Several projects are already underway or nearing completion, including Salford Rise, a 'green walkway in the sky' over Frederick Road, and plans for 227 new homes at the former Farmer Norton car park.
