Residents in Ordsall and across Salford are anxiously awaiting the outcome of a major £1bn planning decision that will reshape the city.
Salford Council’s planning committee will decide whether to approve plans for a huge redevelopment of the Regent Retail Park site at a planning committee meeting tomorrow morning (November 6).
The proposal, which has been recommended for approval, aims to build 3,300 new homes as well as a public park and office space.
Salford’s skyline will be changed forever if the application is successful, as the developer, Henley Investment Management (HIM), wants to build a gigantic 70+ storey skyscraper to accommodate thousands of people.
HIM has committed to building 660 affordable homes as part of the plans, through a lease agreement arranged with Salford City Council.
But the Save Regent Retail Park Campaign group say they are worried about the effect that demolishing affordable shops to make way for the development will have on the area.
In July, SRRPC argued at a Salford City Council’s planning meeting that Henley’s plans would be detrimental and did not provide the investment and regeneration Ordsall needed.
This resulted in the planning committee deferring the application until more information about affordable housing and the impact on traffic was provided.
The campaign group say that “Residents highlighted significant outstanding concerns with Henley’s plans and why the application should not be approved.”
The reasons given included: A lack of detail or guarantees for truly affordable social rent housing, insufficient parking spaces, an inadequate local parking permit scheme and a lack of comprehensive assessments for health services, schools, and transport infrastructure impacts for the wider Ordsall area.
They raised concerns that the plans will see a loss of local jobs and affordable shops during the construction period in an area with high levels of deprivation.
More than 450 objections have been sent to Salford council about the scheme, while just 26 comments are in support of the development going ahead.
Ordsall Councillor Brendan Keville said: “The resident campaign has pressured Henley into making some changes to their plans, but this does not address the major outstanding concerns residents have.
“This is why the application should not be approved at the planning meeting and Henley should re-engage with residents to address their concerns. A key issue is the low trust for Henley’s promises, all we get is their PR machine responses.
“We have been trying for months to arrange for Henley to listen and respond to residents’ concerns directly. We invited them to the recent public meeting, but they said there was not enough time.”
Salford MP Rebecca Long Bailey also voiced her dissatisfaction with HIM’s scheme and called on Henley to withdraw their current plans.
She said: “Henley’s plans will have a major impact for the area and residents tell us they are still deeply concerned about a wide range of issues that remain unaddressed. It has been over two years since Henley last consulted residents directly.
In the spirit of co-operation and implementing regeneration that truly benefits the community, I would urge Henley to now build trust with residents, withdraw their application, outline any recent changes they are planning to make and ultimately, to reconsult with residents to address concerns.”
Ordsall Councillor Ben Grogan has stepped down from the planning committee after questions surrounding his impartiality were brought to the council by Henley.
Coun Grogan chose to step aside to avoid any potential doubt over the decision-making process and will instead attend the meeting as a ward councillor alongside members of the public.
He said: “The developer has consistently failed to meet the needs of the Ordsall community or even communicate to residents properly and unfortunately this seems like another step in Henley’s plans to avoid scrutiny and ignore input from the community.
“Henley have hidden behind outdated rules and viability tests to protect their profits instead of making firm commitments that would contribute to the area. Residents deserve more than tick-box consultation and bare-minimum compliance — they deserve development that genuinely benefits the people who live here. The area needs more doctors, dentists, and schools, not just another token park and a few new coffee shops.”
In a statement, the developer said they remained optimistic about the proposals, describing them as a major opportunity to bring new investment, jobs and homes to Salford.
“We’ve actively engaged with stakeholders to refine the plans, ensuring they align with community priorities and sustainable growth. The project not only promises economic uplift through job creation and investment but also positions Salford as a beacon of modern, accessible urban living.
“As Greater Manchester grapples with housing shortages and rapid urbanisation, initiatives like Regent Retail Park exemplify Henley Investments’ dedication to bold, responsible development. We’re proud to lead this charge and look forward to collaborating with Salford City Council to bring this vision to life.”
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