More than 3,000 new homes, and “unparalleled access” to employment, retail, leisure, and recreation could be on its way to Salford.
That’s because “ambitious” plans to regenerate Salford Quays and MediaCity have just been unveiled.
Building on the ‘Salford Quays 2030 Vision’, and outlining what are said to be “four key aspirations” for the waterfront neighbourhood, artist impression images of what the area could look like if the plans are approved by Salford City Council‘s planning committee following a consultation starting next week, have also been released.
The plans and images show what would be a more “vibrant and convenient” town centre – with additional commercial office space, high-quality and affordable homes, and new public areas and green spaces.
Ultimately, developers say they just want to “enhance” the current waterfront space.
ADVERTISEMENT
‘Ambitious’ plans to regenerate Salford Quays and MediaCity have been unveiled / Credit: MediaCity
The vast scale of the proposed regeneration project would stretch MediaCity’s current site and double it in size to include the area around Quayside too
Developers say the plans are “defined” by four quarters each characterised by a specific purpose.
ADVERTISEMENT
These four areas include ‘The Media Quarter’, which encompasses the current cluster of creative, tech and digital companies positioned around the main Piazza and along the Manchester Ship Canal, and ‘The Waterfront and Gateway’ zone, which will “maximise” the unique waterfront setting with a new pedestrian link bridge from MediaCity to The Lowry and Quayside, and some new all-weather pavilions.
There’ll also be ‘The Living Hub’, which is where the more than 3,000 new “highly sustainable” homes would take shape, as well as new businesses and convenience retail.
Finally, there’d also be ‘The Culture and Community Hub’, which is centred in and around Quayside and The Lowry Theatre, and is described as being the “vibrant cultural, leisure, and retail heart” of the whole destination.
ADVERTISEMENT
What MediaCity and Salford waterfront currently looks like / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
MediaCity’s Managing Director Stephen Wild said the proposed plans are a “once in a generation” transformation for the area of Salford and its future for the next decade.
He added: “We want to deliver an unrivalled destination which will provide more quality homes, employment opportunities, community facilities, a rich cultural and leisure scene while making the most of The Quays greatest assets.
“We’re creating a place for the people of Salford to be proud of, which is why feedback on the proposed framework from our local community is so important.”
Keen to have your say on the plans? A drop-in event is taking place on Wednesday 18 October between 12-6:30pm on the 6th floor of Orange Tower in MediaCity.
After the launch event, the information boards will then be on display to review for six weeks in the Customer Service Centre – which is on the upper level of the Quayside shopping centre.
ADVERTISEMENT
Feedback on the plans can be submitted online from 18 October here.
Featured Image – MediaCity
News
The shortlist for the 2025 BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards has been revealed
Danny Jones
The shortlisted nominees for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award (SPOTY) have been revealed, including one notable nearby name.
The question is, who do you fancy most for it this time around?
After Atherton’s very own Keely Hodgkinson claimed it last year, we were naturally hoping another Greater Manchester native would win it once again.
While we haven’t quite got what we wished for, you could say we’ve got the next best thing, as a fellow North West name has been nominated.
🗣️ REVEALED!
The 2025 BBC Sports Personality of the Year contenders are:
A short train ride away to Cheshire, and being a big Man United fan basically counts, if you ask us.
Yes, Warrington’s very own Luke Littler has been named on the shortlist for the 2025 Sports Personality of the Year, quite literally 12 months from his previous nomination.
Littler, who is still only 18, did go on to win the 2024 Young SPOTY last December – a very decent consolation prize following his blockbuster debut year or so – but he has been tipped as a bookies’ favourite this time around.
He’s also been voted for that award again this year, so you’d hope he’d be walking away with at least one of the trophies, though it’d be far from his only one of late.
Since then, the young sporting prodigy has gone on to win all but two of the 10 PDC majors, including two Premier League Darts titles.
In fact, if you want to look at how his arrival onto the senior professional darts circuit breaks down, you can take a gander at the frankly staggering stats behind his breakthrough down below.
As you can see, other nominees include former Manchester City Women’s star Chloe Kelly and Lioness, Hannah Hampton; rugby union and national team member, Ellie Kildunne, F1 favourite Lando Norris, as well as Irish golfer, Rory McIlroy (not for the first time).
We’ll confess we’re very much biased and backing local lad Littler – sue us.
The other Young SPOTY nominees for 2025 include another rising England star in Michelle Agyemang and Northern Superchargers cricket talent, Davina Perrin.
Being hosted over at MediaCityUK in Salford once again, voting will take place during the show on BBC One and the BBC iPlayer on Thursday, 18 December.
Manchester residents urged to have their say on want they want the Council to invest in next year
Emily Sergeant
Residents in Manchester are being urged to have their say on what they want to Council to invest in next year.
Manchester City Council has this week launched a consultation for its upcoming 2026/7 budget, and is asking the people of Manchester what their priorities are for investment in services in the new year.
For those who hadn’t heard, the Government is introducing fairer funding for Councils, which recognises that areas with more challenges need more money – Manchester being one of them – and although final details of the Council’s financial settlement will not be received until later this month, it does mean that it’s anticipated there’ll be more funding available than previously expected.
As well as protecting vital frontline services with the upcoming budget, the Council says it will also have some scope to invest in ‘making Manchester better’.
Whether this would be improving street cleaning services, supporting youth services and community groups, extending library opening hours, or a variety of other services, the Council says it’s aiming to build on the strong progress made in recent years.
While extra funding will make ‘a very real difference’, the Council says it still has a duty to plan carefully and ensure its impacts are maximised.
Ongoing value for money and service transformation measures will work to reduce and avoid costs, as it ‘makes sense’ to do this anyway – but crucially, every pound saved will be reinvested in services.
Manchester residents are being urged to have their say on want they want the Council to invest in next year / Credit: Benjamin Elliott (via Unsplash)
“How we allocate budgets for our services has long been guided by what Manchester people have told us about their priorities for themselves, their families and friends, their neighbourhoods and their city,” explained Councillor Rabnawaz Akbar, who is the Executive Member for Finance at Manchester City Council.
“As we begin to build back, restoring some of the things which had to be cut previously and looking to the future, we need to hear people’s views again.
“These will shape the final package of proposals for 2026/27.”
Council Leader Bev Craig added: “Crucially, the fact that we will get a three-year financial settlement from Government rather than year-by-year settlements as has previously been the case, means we can plan ahead with real confidence.”
Want to take part in the consultation? The consultation is now live and runs until 5pm on 28 January 2026. You can either find out more and complete it online here, or paper copies of the consultation are also available in libraries across the city.
Emily Sergeant -
12th October 2023 
