New 18-storey tower block approved in Salford despite 'no support' from community
04.04.2024 - 13:52
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
A new 18-story tower block will be built in Salford after plans were given planning permission by the council.
It will see 183 homes built on land at the Springfield Business Centre on Springfield Lane.
The new build-to-rent development is next to the River Irwell with homes spread across two blocks of differing heights and is expected to be managed by a single landlord.
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Other sections of the development are shorter, standing between three and five storeys.
It includes no affordable homes, which is lower than the council's aim of 20 per cent per development.
The application received more than 100 objections by the time it came before the council's planning committee.
Furious residents opposed the plan, warning that it could harm the community and drive up rent prices.
Rebecca Long-Bailey, Labour MP for Salford and Eccles, presented a statement against the scheme, raising concerns over affordability and the impact on residents' quality of life.
She said: "I want to ensure my objection is noted today. A decision to grant the application would in my view be unsound.
"It would be a staggering dereliction of duty to approve a housing development of this size that did not include any affordable homes."
Conservative councillor Karen Garrido asked the council's planning committee how it could accept a development without considering the impact on rent prices and affordability.
Coun Garrido said: "We've got a policy for affordable housing, and on this site I understand 20 percent would be about 30 homes, I can't understand why we have not held to this.
"There should be affordable houses on this site. I totally and utterly