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New university building will 'transform city'

Salford Council A CGI of a planned acoustics building in Salford. A large red metal building with the Salford University logo on stands in the background, with pedestrians and people on bikes walking on a pavement in the foreground Salford Council
The new building has been described as a dedicated and pioneering facility

The first part of a £2.5bn masterplan set to bring "transformational change" to a Greater Manchester city has been submitted for approval.

A new "statement" building in Salford, which forms part of the Salford Crescent masterplan, is being proposed on a former industrial unit north of Strawberry Hill, close to Peel Park.

It will create a new site for Salford University's acoustics centre, whose research has benefitted companies such as Dyson and the Universal Music Mastering Studios in New York.

Salford Mayor, Paul Dennett said the structure would "better connect our communities to the crescent and university campus".

Planning documents state the work will be the "first scheme to be realised" in the Crescent masterplan, which is based a mile and a half from Manchester city centre and MediaCity.

North of the earmarked new acoustics site, there are plans for a "Collision Building" with more shared work spaces and facilities.

The wider Salford Crescent project, being delivered by English Cities Fund, Salford University, and Salford Council, includes building 3,000 new homes as well as offices and a new pedestrian and cycling bridge.

The bridge – known as Salford Rise – started being built in November, with an expected completion date of summer 2026, will create an 11m-wide (36ft) and 220m-long (721ft) space across Frederick Road, and connecting the university buildings.

Meanwhile, Salford Crescent train station is also set to see new improvements as work to build a third platform takes place this year, alongside a £10m revamp of Salford Central.

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