Major milestone for £1bn Middlewood Locks development

A major milestone for one of the largest single regeneration projects in the North-West has been reached this week as dignitaries gathered to mark the occasion.

UK leading regeneration experts Scarborough Group International (SGI) has achieved topping out for ‘Railings’, phase three of Middlewood Locks, the £1 billion mixed use scheme and new neighbourhood under development in Salford.

Multi award-winning developer Scarborough Group International (SGI) hosted a topping out ceremony at Railings where 189 new residential apartments and townhouses are being built and are available for sale.

Over 50 special guests gathered including Deputy Ceremonial Mayor of Salford and ward councillor for Ordsall, Tanya Burch, and the Chinese Consul General, Rui Tang. Senior representatives from SGI’s joint venture partners Metro, who flew in from Singapore for the event, main contractor BCEGI, Salford City Council, Homes England and the delivery team were also amongst guests.

Identified as a key strategic development opportunity more than twenty years ago, the 25-acre brownfield site where Middlewood Locks now stands has already been transformed into a thriving new mixed-use neighbourhood, directly connecting Salford to Manchester city centre.

It is now home to over 2,000 residents in 1,117 apartments, supported by amenity, and engaging public realm. Seven Bro7hers Beer House, 92 Degrees Coffee Shop and a Co-op convenience store support the growing community within an established oasis of green spaces along the canal.

‘The Railings’ has introduced the option for family living with 189 new homes including seven waterside townhouses, six mews houses alongside a mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments. With topping out achieved the new homes are expected to be available for occupation towards the end of 2024/early 2025. All of the townhouses have now sold along with a number of the apartments and mews houses. In July this year SGI launched a brand-new show apartment to showcase the quality of the specification with the interior styling and furnishings designed and supplied by John Lewis.

Middlewood Locks is a joint venture being delivered by SGI with Metro Holdings Limited, a Singapore-listed property development and investment group, and Hualing Group, based in Urumqui, Xinjiang, in China.

Kevin McCabe, Chairman at SGI said: “We are delighted to achieve ‘topping out’ for Railings, the third phase of Middlewood Locks which marks a very important milestone in our ongoing commitment to deliver one of the largest single regeneration projects that the North-West has ever seen.

“Our strong links with the far east, in terms of our joint venture partners and principal contractor, alongside our mutually beneficial collaborations with key stakeholders such as Salford City Council and Homes England, have helped us to make a vision into a successful and economically viable reality and we are thankful to all that have been involved.

“Middlewood Locks is a major undertaking for us and I am pleased to say greatly supports the regional economy with strong job creation and ultimately much needed new homes in the city.”

Terry Errington, Head of Structured Real Estate Finance at Homes England, said: “It is rewarding to see how our allocation of funding at Middlewood Locks from the Government’s Levelling Up Home Building Fund is helping to positively impact the local area. This regeneration led project is a fantastic example of how the public and private sector can work together to deliver a truly sustainable new community with a positive impact on the built environment.”

Seven years under development the scheme has already made a considerable economic impact, supporting around 6,000 jobs with the total local economic benefit to the Greater Manchester sub-region for phases one and two at £260 million.

Whilst revitalising the three large basins of the Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal and re-engaging local infrastructure to provide sustainable and safe passage through to Manchester, the award-winning development has become a flagship for the Northern Powerhouse regeneration.

Future plans include the development of the remaining 10-acre plot that connects to Manchester city centre through the arches with outline planning consent already in place to deliver more new homes alongside Grade A office accommodation and a new hotel with further amenity and public realm.