One of Salford’s historic buildings is set to be turned into nearly 100 new apartments.
Pendleton House, on Broughton Road, has been used as a coroner’s court, council offices and by the NHS since it was first built in 1936, with its original purpose of housing a public assistance office for the poor and unemployed.
But the building has been left empty since 2011, falling into a state of disrepair.
New plans by developer Pendleton House Ltd aim to create a total of 88 flats in the building, with each home classed as ‘affordable’ housing – priced below market rates.
The bosses behind the scheme say the site’s potential stems from its location close to Salford Shopping City, local universities, and the city’s public transport network.
If approved, the part-six storey building will include ‘good levels’ of secure car and bicycle parking, as well as landscape improvements to the area. The design of the site aims to create a ‘modern’ appearance with a nod to the historical past of the building.
A shared outdoor space is planned in the form of gardens to the south and east of the building structure, which will have a large lobby at the entrance.
The proposed homes will all be either one or two bedrooms, aiming to meet the ‘significant demand’ for affordable forms of rented accommodation in the city.
Council officers have recommended that the plans be approved at a town hall meeting at Salford Civic Centre on October 10.
Salford is facing huge demand for new homes in the borough, with a growing population and increasing numbers of people at risk of homelessness.
Council leaders say the problem is being made worse by the lack of affordable homes in the city – an issue facing many regions across the country.
A number of plans have been put forward to try and tackle the housing shortage in Salford, including a scheme by the town hall to build hundreds more council houses across the city.
