A £1 million grant has been approved for a project that will focus on enhancing green and blue spaces across the city.
The funding from National Lottery Heritage Fund Nature Towns and Cities programme was approved by the City Mayor in consultation with Cabinet on Tuesday 26 August.
The accepted £999,476 in grant funding will support the three-year initiative, and will be jointly delivered by Salford City Council and Manchester City Council.
Together they will focus on enhancing green and blue spaces across both cities, promoting environmental sustainability and encouraging active, healthy lifestyles.
This will be achieved with the grant funding eight new roles (four in each council) and enable a programme of commissioned micro-projects with eight specialist partner organisations.
These include the RHS, Sow the City, City of Trees, GM Environment Fund, Groundwork, the Canal & River Trust and two consultancies to be appointed.
Working with the partner organisations, the funding will cover five main areas of work, including empowering communities.
The project will support local groups to take ownership of green spaces, with accredited training and support for community-led management schemes and improved input into how green spaces are designed.
The project will also look to upskill volunteers to build on current accredited training schemes and resources to enhance local capacity and sustainability.
The funding will also map connective green space routes, and will identify, map, and assess links between existing green spaces and opportunities for new developments.
A Greenspace Connectivity Strategy will also be produced by the project and will provide a framework for future investment in urban nature recovery.
This will be achieved by innovative financing to develop sustainable funding models for long-term project success.
And working together, a new community forum will be established to provide a platform for local groups across both cities and beyond to share best practices, knowledge and opportunities for connection.
The project is designed for long-term transformation, which will provide a strategic framework for future green infrastructure investment, a network of trained community leaders and volunteers.
As well as providing framework for sustainable models for financing nature recovery and promote stronger partnerships between local authorities, voluntary organisations and the private sector.
Councillor Barbara Bentham, Lead Member for Neighbourhoods, Environment and Community Safety at Salford City Council said: “This funding is a fantastic opportunity to work closely with local groups to bring parks, canals, rivers and neighbourhoods to life and ensure people living in their areas can enjoy nature and green spaces, close to home.”
She continued: “As part of our commitment to creating a fairer, greener, healthier and more inclusive city for all, we want more people to experience nature in their daily lives, particularly those places and communities currently lacking access to quality green space.
“Aligning with ambitions in the Greater Manchester Five-Year Environmental Plan, Salford and Manchester will work together, linking parks, urban waterways and industrial heritage sites into vibrant corridors that enhance biodiversity while improving residents’ quality of life.”
The project supports delivery of ambitions identified in Salford’s Irwell River Park Movement Strategy, Manchester’s Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy, Our Rivers Our City and the emerging City Centre Movement Plan.
Recruitment and procurement will begin in August and September 2025, with project delivery commencing in late September 2025, with work being phased over three years.
Salford City Council will act as the accountable body and hold the entirety of the grant funding on behalf of Manchester City Council.
More information can be found here.
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