Shopkeepers being moved out of Salford’s Regent Road Retail Park to make way for new homes may be allowed to return.
Investment management company Henley is building new high rise residential buildings on the site and had planned to demolish most of the retail park.
The plans include building a 70+ storey skyscraper, the UK’s tallest outside of London, and more blocks of flats providing a total of 3,300 homes.
But a compromise is now being negotiated following a 2,200-signature petition from nearby residents who rely on the shops.
A Henley spokesperson outlined the plans to hopefully allow retailers to return to new, more sustainable units once the works are complete.
She said: “We want to put in, in principle, a large park in the centre of it, lots of retailer community space at the bottom, and then flats on top of it.
“We’ve spoken to all of the commercial tenants on site, and they’ve all been invited back.”
So far, two national retailers have confirmed that they would be interested in returning to the site, although they can’t be named for legal reasons.
She stated: “It’s a long process and it’s also really scary for people who live in the area. It’s a lot of change and we’re very keen to listen and work with them but I think at the moment it is quite strong objections and we understand that.”
Locals have also raised concerns over increased traffic in the already busy Regent Road.
Resident Nic Leonard, who originally posted the petition, wrote: “The increase in traffic needed to build these TEN apartment blocks including the third tallest in the UK outside London will make an already dire situation unbearable.”
Salford Liberal Democrat chair John Grant is also campaigning for “a balanced and community-focused development rather than a concrete jungle.”
Quays Ward Councillor Paul Heilbron added: “We don’t need thousands more unaffordable apartments in an already densely populated area with traffic and parking challenges,
“We believe any redevelopment should include essential shops, services, and green spaces to serve the existing community.”
The Henley spokesperson confirmed that there had been initial talks with social housing developers to make some of the housing ‘affordable’, as well as hopes to improve transport connections and include traffic calming measures.
The scheme is due to be completed in two phases, meaning not all of the shops would be closed at one time.
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