Salford City Council's Planning Panel of councillors will next week consider applications for two development that will total 448 properties – with only 22 that will be even remotely 'affordable'.
The Anchorage Gateway development on Salford Quays is for a 31 storey block of 290 apartments in what the Council deems a 'high value' area. Except that, thanks to the Council's own planning policy, developers building 'high density' apartments in a 'high value' area don't have to provide any affordable housing...
"Policy OB1 states that the provision of affordable housing is not required in apartment schemes within high-value areas, such as the application site" the developer, Anchorage Gateway (CW) Ltd, states "The proposed scheme is therefore in accordance with the most up to date guidance." Indeed, affordable housing isn't even mentioned in the Council's planning officer's report to the Panel.
The company will, however, have to pay an open space contribution of £852,678 (to go towards Ordsall Park; and/or Monmouth Park; and/or Montford Street park; and/or access and infrastructure works at Weaste Cemetery), plus £433,500 for public realm (for works within Salford Quays/Broadway and/or Irwell River Park), plus £70,000 towards a five year resident parking scheme..."Importantly" the report adds "the exact sums payable cannot be determined until such time as final apartment numbers and the dwelling mix are confirmed..."
Meanwhile, over at Whit Lane, an application for the third phase of Keepmoat's redevelopment of the area concedes a total of 22 'affordable' houses out of 158 to be built along the riverside. None, according to a previous 'hybrid' application for the site, will be for social rent, only 'shared ownership' and 'affordable rent' (80% of market rent).
Even the officer's report states that, according to Council policy, no affordable housing is required at all in this 'low value' area, but the developer has agreed to provide 20% (or 85 properties) across the three phases of the total build.
When the development was first aired, the Salford Star reported... "While the plans propose 3.54hectares of open space, including 'an improved sports pitch and improved children's play facilities...within the public park bounded by Whit Lane and Douglas Green', a 'riverside green space' and a 'Local Area for Play', 2.88hectares of open space will be lost within the development...
"Salford Council's own SPD policy states that Keepmoat should be paying £1,439 per bed space for the 'provision and improvement of open space', which totals £2.356million but the value of the public space improvements the developer is intending to make comes to just £711,668 – a loss of £1.644million to the city....
"Similarly, Salford Council is due payments towards education, to mitigate against the increased demand for local primary schools in the area. The total payment is calculated in the application to be £816,197 – but, again, the company states 'Keepmoat proposes to make no education contribution for the Charlestown Riverside development'..." (see the article – click here)
Main graphic - a very wonky looking 'artist's impression' of Anchorage Gateway
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