Plans have been submitted to build 88 new affordable apartments in Salford at the ‘gateway’ to the city. The scheme, at Pendleton House on Broughton Road, could see a mix of one, and two-bedroom apartments built at the site, including three-person wheelchair accessible homes. If approved, all of the new homes are set to be affordable and rented out at social rent levels. The location is next to the A6 Broad Street, offering a direct route to Salford Crescent and Salford Central train stations. Shared space would be made with a landscaped garden area to the east of the site, along with a sunken garden to the south. The existing building at the site was built in 1936 and once used as a ‘dole office’ before becoming a coroner’s court. It was later used as council offices but in recent times it has started to ‘deteriorate’ due to neglect and anti-social behaviour, according to the planning application. It has a number of amenities nearby including supermarkets, doctor’s surgery and pharmacy, with bus stops on Broughton Road offering services to Manchester city centre and other areas of Salford. A total of 19 car parking spaces are part of the plans, with two disabled spaces, three electric vehicle charging spaces, and 80 cycle spaces within a lockable enclosure. The planning application states that the new homes could help to meet the ‘clear and identifiable need’ for affordable housing in Salford. Social housing is a problem across Greater Manchester as councils have struggled to provide enough affordable homes for residents. In Salford, the issue has escalated, with the Mayor Paul Dennett declaring a homelessness ‘crisis’ in January due to the growing numbers of people without a home.