Salford city council’s cabinet has agreed to ask to public what they think of plans to expand MediaCityUK and Salford Quays with thousands of new homes. Proposals for 3,200 homes, 300 new hotel rooms and 800,000 sq ft of commercial space will be subjected to six weeks’ public consultation, starting on Wednesday October 18. Peel Media and major investor Landsec are revamping and amending previously approved plans dating back to 2016. Salford Quays is already home to 1.4million sq ft of offices and upwards of 1,100 homes. A workshop of events will now take place for interested stakeholders, the local community and ward councillors. There will be a permanent exhibition during the consultation in the Quayside shopping mall in addition to consultation access via the Salford city council website and social media. “Following successful completion of the consultation, a full analysis of comments will be undertaken and where necessary alterations made to the document,” a report to the cabinet said. The Draft MediaCity Development Framework Public Consultation document was approved by the cabinet with no comment, apart from Coun Bill Hind, who said: “I’m impressed with what’s going on at Salford Quays, but I have concerns about the shopping mall, where shops keep closing. “But what is happening on the waterfront is really good.” The document says: “MediaCity has matured with a vibrant food and drink offer emerging alongside the growing value of the area as a residential community [since it opened in 2011]. It said that following the pandemic, there are now fewer people in offices from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, while footfall has fallen and ‘office space is being used differently’. “Higher quality experiences are demanded by workers with the choice of being at home,” it said. “MediaCity has embraced this change and has encouraged independent retail, food and beverage providers to move in. That said, more people working from home means fewer people on site. “There is therefore a need for an effective scale and balance (especially employment and residential to provide a critical mass of people to support the different uses throughout the day.”
