Plans for the University of Salford’s new health building on its Frederick Road campus have been given the green light by Salford City Council, and building work is set to begin in late October. The target completion date is Autumn 2026.
The new site will offer a health and wellbeing hub at the heart of the University estate. It will be the home for some of the University’s most popular healthcare courses – including podiatry, prosthetics and orthotics, sports rehabilitation, occupational therapy and sport science. In addition, any Salford staff or students delivering health and wellbeing activities will be able to use the space.
The new building is to be a community focus for public services delivered by our partners, with plans now being explored for mother and child health sessions, weight management clinics and other wellbeing forums.
It will be central to the University’s commitment to helping reduce health and social inequalities and to its pledge to help address the NHS’ workforce challenges.
Professor Vicky Halliwell, Deputy Dean at the School of Health and Society, said: “Our health building will be one of the gems in the expanding University of Salford estate. Every year we train thousands of students to work in the healthcare sector in both the NHS, social care and beyond. Now our academics, students and researchers will be able to enjoy their time in Salford even more, in our state-of-the-art teaching environment.”
The all-electric building will be highly sustainable, meeting BREEAM Excellent and WELL Gold building standards. It will have an attractive roof space and terraces, as well as a daylight flooded atrium and extensive indoor planting to enhance the sense of wellbeing and healthy living. Larger spaces will be bookable by community groups, staff and students for therapeutic activities, and there will be green pathways and areas to relax in and enjoy outside the building.
Kier are working with the University on plans for the building, which has been designed by AHR Architects. It will be located behind the Mary Seacole building next to Salford Crescent train station. The University will be starting the process of finding a name for the building in the coming months.
The site is a key part of the University’s multi-million pound Campus Connectivity Plan, which will benefit staff, students and the local community. The new building will also complement Salford City Council’s wider Crescent development scheme.
The building is part of the School of Health and Society, which is the largest School in the University with over 8400 students.
