Salford-based video agency Peak Reach are expanding their team as they celebrate their first successful year in business.

Peak Reach produce innovative video marketing content that is based on and driven by social media data. This technique ensures that marketers make the most of their budgets for video-driven campaigns.

Peak Reach’s mission is to create more effective video content based on data-rich consultancy and research. Due to some significant recent wins the team have welcomed Ben Saunders as Production Assistant to meet the growing demand for the company’s unique approach to video marketing.

In 2019 the company beat its ambitious sales targets and is on track to turnover 250,000 by the end of year two.

Key clients include Bupa, David Lloyd Clubs and The Lowry.

The business was shortlisted for a Salford Business Award in 2019 as one of the most exiting start ups in the Salford area.

Peak Reach Managing Director, Jack Eaton, commented:

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“It’s been a great year and we’re really excited to be growing so quickly as a company. Surpassing our targets and expanding our team just goes to show that a results-led approach to video is in high demand. Our new people will be vital in further increasing our ability to offer even more ground-breaking video content.”

Salford based law firm Carter Moore has ceased trading and gone into administration.

The company based out of  St James House in Pendleton has in the past acted to defend high profile clients which include killer nurse 'Victorino Chua' who was found guilty of the horrific multiple murders at Stepping Hill Hospital after he injected saline drips with high levels of insulin. Chua was jailed for life in 2015 after being found guilty of murder by poisoning.

They also acted to defend Barry George who was acquitted of the murder of Crimewatch presenter Jill Dando who was brutally murdered outside her home in London back in 1999.

Carter Moore had specialised in criminal defence, personal injury and high profile fraud cases.

Over the past year the company is said to have faced business challenges and despite having a team of talented staff it has been teetering on the brink of survival. We understand that the companies London office has also closed.

A message on the companies website is advising creditors to contact the administrators 'Begbies Traynor of Deansgate Manchester' who have been tasked with winding up the business. Begbies are specialist licensed insolvency practitioners. 

Existing clients are being advised to contact Jeremy Moore via Jeremy@3d-solicitors.com

Amazon has declared that it is to open a new office in Manchester, additionally it will see investment in 1,000 research and development jobs in the UK.

Amazon's new Manchester office will open in 2020 and will be based in the Hanover Building in the city's Northern Quarter. It will become home to over 600 staff.

Amazons UK manager Douglas Gurr said:

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"Manchester was at the heart of the industrial revolution and has a fantastic history of innovation."

"Our new office will be home to over 600 staff, many of whom will be focused on developing exciting new products and services used by Amazon customers around the world

"The city offers an incredibly talented workforce and a budding tech scene with some of the most exciting, fast-growing tech companies in the UK situated here."

 

Amazon said it has invested more than £9.3 billion ($12.2 billion) in the UK since 2010 and is on course to have over 27,500 employees on its books in the UK over the coming year.

Lidl GB will be at the heart of plans to regenerate Mocha Parade in Lower Broughton, it has been announced.

The discounter, which is currently the fastest growing supermarket in the UK and has over 790 stores across Great Britain has been signed up as preferred retailer partner by Salford City Council.

In recent months a new store has been opened in Winton on the former site of the Brown Cow Pub, which has been positively received by the locals. It is expected that the new store at Mocha will help revitalise the area which has seen a decline over the years.

Deputy City Mayor Councillor John Merry said the move will breathe new life into the 1970’s shopping precinct and could see work begin as early as next year.

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“We’ve had a lot of commercial interest in the redevelopment of Mocha Parade because of its links with a strong, local community and new housing development in the area,” he said.

“I’m delighted to announce that we have chosen Lidl as our preferred retail partner. Formal applications for planning permission are expected in spring and, subject to approval, we could see work begin on the site later in the year. This will bring construction jobs and training opportunities for local residents as well as opportunities from the shopping centre.

The redevelopment plans also include a new health centre and Councillor Merry said work on that was progressing well.

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“Our negotiations with Salford Clinical Commissioning Group about a new GP clinic for the site are at an advanced stage and there should be good news to announce about that early in the new year,” he said.

“It’s part of a long-term plan to revitalise the whole Broughton area, which has seen considerable investment in new homes, schools and parks over the last few years. We now want to create a thriving, vibrant local shopping centre for the community.

“We are working with existing occupiers about this comprehensive redevelopment of the site and they will be fully consulted on the proposals when available.”

Award-winning global architects and master-planners, Chapman Taylor, have won planning permission to replace a four-storey office building which will act as a gateway to Salford Quays.

The Media City architect’s proposals, drawn up for developer Cole Waterhouse, would deliver up to 290 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments for rent, along with new amenity space and up to 1,000sq metres of retail space.

Salford council’s planning and transportation regulatory panel gave the plans outline consent at their meeting this month.

Chapman Taylor director Michael Swiszczowski said:

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"The L-shaped building footprint maximises the opportunity for active street frontage, helping to foster an active and vibrant scene at street level.

"This will help improve the pedestrian experience of the site, which is used by workers, residents and visitors due to the very close Metrolink tram stop.

"As well as a generous amount of amenity space at the ground floor, the scheme incorporates external terraces at higher levels, including a residents’ rooftop garden with dramatic views over Salford Quays."

Adding

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“The development will create the basis for a sustainable and vibrant residential community which enhances the area socially and economically while helping to provide much-needed, high-quality residential space in an attractive landmark building,”

Chapman Taylor was lead architect for the first phase of Media City in Salford, which completed in 2010.

It is continuing work on the project with Peel Media and L&G Capital.

Purveyors of Chicken-y goodness 'NANDOS' disclosed that they have signed on the dotted line for a 20 year lease on a 4,100 sq ft unit at Walkden Retail Park.

The store is set to open early next year (2020) and will slide into the unit between the current Aldi and Tesco stores.

James Maule-Ffinch, senior asset manager, said:

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“Nando’s will be the third food and beverage operator at Walkden Retail Park, joining Papa Johns and Purple Lounge Indian, and is a hugely popular brand to bring to the local area.

“We’re also delighted to strengthen our relationship with Nando’s in the UK, as this is the third site in our portfolio to welcome the brand.”

 

This latest move for the company comes after a new restaurant was opened on White City Retail Park in neighbouring Trafford earlier this year.

The new office space located in the Blue Tower building at the flourishing MediaCityUK complex, is the company’s first in the North West of England and will serve as a base of operations for Huawei as it looks to develop its business in the Northern Powerhouse. The office will house several of Huawei’s key business operations including customer account teams, the Huawei Network Design Centre and Huawei’s Delivery Operations Center for the north of the UK. Initially upwards of 50 roles will be allocated at the new facility, with a view to doubling that headcount by 2022.

The MediaCityUK complex has gained a reputation for being an international hub for technology, innovation and creativity. Greater Manchester is also home to one of the fastest growing digital technology sectors in Europe.

Victor Zhang, Huawei Group President of Government Affairs said:

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“This new office based in Greater Manchester further signifies Huawei’s continued commitment to the UK. We pride ourselves on our track record of investing at a regional level and stimulating local job creation also. Where better to base ourselves than at MediaCityUK which with its reputation for fostering creativity and innovation is attracting a host of other large scale international businesses. We look forward to partnering with Greater Manchester to assist it in its goal to become the UK’s leading digital hotspot.”

Paul Dennett, Salford City Mayor said:

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“The digital tech industry in the North West turned over £4.98 billion in 2018 and Greater Manchester boasts the largest number of digital workers in the UK outside of London. Next generation technology alongside 5G will have a massive impact on our city over the next decade, it is therefore vital that we continue to attract top tech talent to the city – the arrival of Huawei who are a key player further cements this city and Salford in particular as the emerging tech hotspot in the UK”.

Jerry Wang, Huawei UK CEO said:

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“We are delighted to announce our first facility in the heart of the Northern Powerhouse and birthplace of the first industrial revolution. The North West is an important region for Huawei as we look to continue our growth in the UK. Greater Manchester’s talented workforce and emerging tech scene make it an exciting city to invest in, the city is now at the forefront of healthcare and university tech-led innovations today.”

Rhys Whalley, Executive Director, Manchester China Forum said:  

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“We are immensely pleased to welcome today’s announcement from Huawei, which will generate in excess of 50 jobs and add greatly to the economic and technological value of our region. Huawei’s new facility in MediaCityUK marks another great milestone in the relationship between China and Greater Manchester. For Huawei as a global leading brand to select Greater Manchester underlines the strength and specialist skills of our tech ecosystem. We look forward to supporting the growth of the Huawei team in the months and years to come.”

Stephen Wild, Managing Director of MediaCityUK said:

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“Huawei’s decision to base part of its UK operations here further demonstrates MediaCityUK to be a leading creative, technological and digital hub in the UK. Over the next decade MediaCityUK is set to expand physically and evolve digitally, meaning we can welcome even more cutting edge organisations from a variety of sectors and host more incubator and accelerator programmes. Our 5G infrastructure will support these advancements and will also enable us to test and hone our smart city ambitions.”

“It’s great to see companies such as Huawei choosing Greater Manchester as the area to open their new base of operations” said tech expert Dan Sodergren. “The creative and digital tech scene in the north is growing at a phenomenal rate. With Salford and The Landing, where the new base will be centred, having one of the highest economic growth rates in Greater Manchester. Now with Huawei bringing their innovations and infrastructure investment collaborating together with other great tech companies here. Over the coming years - we should see that economic growth continue to rise and rise."

Huawei and the North West

Huawei supports *26,200 jobs across the UK both directly and indirectly including 2,200 in the North West of England. Before the opening of the new office in Greater Manchester, Huawei held many important partnerships with local institutions across the city including an R&D collaboration with the University of Manchester conceived in 2015. This alongside the skills training and support it provides to local businesses.

In 2018, Huawei’s Consumer Business Group partnered with British Pop Star Rita Ora to provide a free concert at the Intu Trafford Centre to celebrate the launch of its P20 Lite smartphone.

Seeds for the Future

Earlier this year, 10% of the students inducted onto Huawei’s Seeds for the Future Scholarship Programme where from the University of Manchester. The 2019 programme saw 50 UK STEM students taken to China to visit Huawei’s HQ in Shenzhen and its research facilities in Beijing. The programme shows students what it’s like to work for a large scale multinational organisation and how modern technologies such as 5G, the Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence are developed and made useful for society.

Huawei 5G Experiential

Huawei’s 5G Demo Truck will also be making an appearance at MediaCityUK, demonstrating 5G consumer case studies. Members of the public can fully experience virtual reality galaxies, streaming a live gig in 360° to friends or seeing how future smartphones will morph into tablets. Businesses and professionals will learn how cloud computing and VR will make education fully interactive and immersive.

*2018 Figures: The Economic Impact of Huawei in the UK Report

Much loved Salford based brewery 'Seven Bro7hers' has been nominated in two categories at this years Salford Business Awards 2019, they are named as finalists in both the 'Business of the year' section and also the illustrious 'Innovation' award.

The Brotherly Beer Brewers have become quite popular not only within Salford but also across the whole nation since they started production back in 2014. Since then they have doubled production and increased brewing capacity and that has been simply down to the popularity and wide range of beers they offer and the totally unique flavours on offer. From chocolaty 'Sling It Out Stout' based on a recipe using up-cycled Kellogg's coco pops, to 'Cast Off Pale Ale' which is full of 'Snap, Crackle and Pop' being brewed using the famous brekky providers Rice Krispies, they have a range of craft beers that are truly unique.

The family ran firm has been a huge hit with those who like a tipple and they have managed to garner quite a following in such a short time.

Based out of unit 63, at the Waybridge Enterprise Centre, the family brewery has gone from strength to strength.

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"We were inspired by our dads home brewing growing up.

Our love for craft beer and brewing was cemented by a trip to Oslo. So in 2014, after a couple of successes and failures, we finally created our family of beers that reflect our passion, honesty and hard work."

 

The awards are sponsored this year by Talk Talk and will take place on the 31st of October at the Lowry Hotel, solet us hope the Halloween Magic happens for this intrepid band of brothers.

https://www.sevenbro7hers.com/

The budget retail giant is looking to open a new store on West One Retail Park in Eccles after exchanging contracts with Frogmore.

West One is ideally placed for the company as it is located just off the busy  Junction 2 of the M602 and boasts fantastic transport links with both Bus and the MetroLink close-by as well as ample on-site car parking.

Lidl has proposed opening a 14,000 sq ft food store by joining two vacant retail units together on the Eccles site. If given the green light by Salford Council then the popular food retailer would be joining the likes of Home Bargain, Pure Gym, Iceland Food Warehouse, Toy store Smyths and The Range who have all made the retail park their home in recent years.

The beleaguered retail park has managed to turn its fortunes around since the high profile Range chose to set up shop there, it is now starting to thrive.

Lidl’s regional head of property Nick Harvey said:

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“We are delighted to be proposing a new store on West One Retail Park, which marks another milestone in our ambitious store expansion programme. We’ve seen incredible demand for Lidl stores across the country and look forward to offering our quality products and incredible value to shoppers in and around Eccles.”

The Royal Mail are proposing to move Walkden Central Post Office within the Ellesmere Shopping Centre to the nearby Rashid’s retail store at 23a Bolton Road, Worsley, Manchester, M28 3AX where it would be run by a new retail partner and be known as Walkden Post Office.

A proposal letter (attached) has been sent to homes in the immediate area: Letter

The consultation survey can be found online: Here

If the move goes ahead the branch will have extended opening hours including Saturday afternoon.

This move is part of the continuing modernisation of the Royal Mail's branch network. 

They believe it to be the most effective way to secure the long term viability of Post Office services in Walkden and have carefully selected a retail partner, they are confident that their proposal is the best way of safeguarding services for the community for years to come. 

The vast majority of the Royal Mail's 11,500 Post Office branches, large and small, are said to be successfully operated in this way with retail partners and they believe this is the best approach to keeping Post Offices in main shopping locations and at the heart of communities where they play an important role in local economies.

The Co-op is set to serve-up its newest food store with a “quay” location in Salford this week (Friday, 2 August) following a near £750,000 investment creating 20 jobs.

The 2,500 sq.ft. Clippers Quay store located close to the waterfront will have a food-to-go focus including a Costa coffee dispenser and in-store bakery, which sits alongside its fresh, healthy foods, meal ideas, hot food, sandwiches, award-winning wines and essentials.

The store will run on 100% renewable electricity and brings a funding boost though the Co-op’s Membership scheme, where Members receive a 5% reward when they purchase own brand products and services, with the Co-op giving a further 1% to local causes.

The Co-op also offers a 10% discount off groceries to students holding the NUS extra (TOTUM) card to support them during their studies.

The new store will also offer compostable carriers as an environmentally friendly alternative for customers who forget their bag for life. The not for profit bags, priced at 5p, are the same price as the single use plastic bags that they replace.

Paul Griffin, Co-op Area Manager, said: 

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"We are delighted to have had the opportunity to make such further significant investment in the region. It is a superb location which is benefitting from inward investment and re-development and we look forward to serving and meeting the food needs of both the community and, visitors to the area.

"The store will have a great look and range, it’s all about getting closer to our members and customers, providing what they want, need and care about, conveniently.

"Our aim is for the store to operate at the heart of local life. We also want customers to know that they can become a co-owner and member of their Co-op, and that the Co-op gives back to its Members and the community - our Members help us to make a difference locally, raising money for local causes simply by swiping their Membership card when they shop with us."

More information about the benefits of Co-op Membership is available by visiting https://www.coop.co.uk/membership

The Co-op was awarded the title of “Grocer of the Year” last month at The Grocer Gold Awards.

Skelmersdale-based Construction Partnership UK Group (CPUK) has won a £12m contract to build a riverfront apartment scheme in Salford.

The firm took part in a two-stage tender for the contract with Bolton based developer Forshaw Land & Property Group and is now set to build The Waterhouse, which will feature 86 high spec apartments off Worrall St on the Salford side of the River Irwell.

The new homes will feature roof terraces, private balconies and access to a gym, cycle storage and optional car parking spaces.

Some of the apartments, available to buy off plan, are duplexes.

Steve Burke, managing director of CPUK, said:

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“We have negotiated and won several high-quality residential builds during the past three years in Manchester and Salford.

“We have a lot of experience working on difficult sites and this project fits well with our expertise in residential new builds.

 “This is our second scheme with Forshaw following on from the successful 179 unit Huddersfield student accommodation development.

“Forshaw is a developer that takes unloved land and forgotten buildings and turns them into the unique spaces that bring land back to life.”

The 18-month contract will see the CPUK team working out of a site office 250 metres from the main construction site.

The brick façade will be complemented by green glazed brick slips to the rear walls of the balconies and zinc cladding at roof level.

CPUK recently completed a £2.3m project to transform redundant council offices in Chorlton for Manchester developer, Retail Property Investments, bringing the 1960s building in Manchester Road back to life with a mixed-use scheme of three retail units and 22 apartments.

The £4m Albert Vaults in Chapel Street, Salford, is due for completion this Autumn, delivering an eight-storey building with 25 apartments and a commercial unit on the site of the former Albert Vaults pub for Novo Property Group.

CPUK has an order book of £98m and annual turnover of £60m.

Founded in March 2000, the business operates from purpose-built headquarters at White Moss Business Park in Skelmersdale.

Planning Details: https://sccdemocracy.salford.gov.uk/documents/s5753/70046 Land At Worrall Street.pdf

A Greater Manchester community interest company based in Salford has won a major contract to provide coaching and training to senior disabled staff for the Civil Service. 

Result CIC is a small, non-profit coaching and training organisation. It specialises in supporting marginalised people and leaders keen to enable their diverse staff to be ‘confidently different’ at work. Result CIC has previously worked with individuals living with Sickle Cell and HIV, as well as organisations such as the BBC, University of Manchester and the NHS.

Their work with the Civil Service, to be delivered over the next two years, will see them running a Leadership Development Programme for senior staff who are disabled. It supports the Civil Service’s ambition to attract and develop diverse talent from a wide range of backgrounds.

Staff on this cross Civil Service scheme are expected to compete for top roles in the future, up to and including Directors General and Permanent Secretary. Result CIC will work with participants to design and deliver tailored learning that reflects their specific development needs.

Directors Jane Cordell and Hormoz Ahmadzadeh have seen their company go from strength to strength since it was established in 2012.

Jane and Hormoz both run Result CIC and deliver its training, coaching and workshop activity, using freelance associates where necessary. Their previous high level professional experience - Jane worked for the Foreign Office and Hormoz has worked for Manchester Business School - combined with their lived experience of marginalisation, has seen their award-winning work achieve amazing outcomes including an average 40% increase across 9 major programmes in participants’ self-confidence and ability to use their skills.

In fact, publishing their Social Impact report in 2018 revealed that Result CIC’s participants gave them a recommendation rating of 100%.

As a non-profit organisation, Result CIC puts any profits back into the company. The organisation has set up an inclusion fund through which they offer coaching sessions free of charge for people who will benefit from such support but who are unable to finance it.

Originally a musician, Jane became deaf as an adult and went on to work in the Civil Service for 10 years, while Hormoz migrated to the UK, is part of the LGBT+ community and has lived experience of mental health issues. It is this lived experience which informs their work and which helped to make them the first choice for this prestigious contract.

Jane and Hormoz say of the contract:

Hormoz: ‘We presented at a conference in London organised by the National Association of Disabled Staff Networks (NADSN) as far back as a year ago, which was attended by the Cabinet Office lead for this work. Our presentation told the story about how we have worked with individuals in organisations to bring their fuller selves to work. A year on, we are delighted to be able to deliver this important leadership programme for the Civil Service.’

Jane: 'It has been a fantastic experience to be able to develop Result CIC as an effective social enterprise which draws positively on our combined experience of exclusion to empower others. To be given the opportunity to deliver our work across the Civil Service is an extraordinary privilege.'

An Eccles opticians has completed a major store expansion, representing a £150,000 investment into Eccles’ community healthcare provision.

The expansion of Specsavers, located in Eccles town centre, will allow more eye health and hearing services to be offered to customers than ever before.

To help with the increase in customer demand, the store has expanded the number of sight testing rooms from two to three. The store also has a new and improved layout, modernised flooring and the latest virtual try-on technology, Frame Styler, which uses facial analysis to scan your face shape and features; taking the guess work out of buying glasses.

The growing demand for audiology services also means the Eccles store’s new equipment will see it offer an enhanced hearing service, supported by the store’s team of trained audiologists.

This investment in modernised facilities will further enhance the store’s capability, including the detection and management of minor eye conditions and dedicated diabetic screening.

Keval Subit, store director at Specsavers Eccles, said:

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“This expansion is a proud milestone for our team, and has only been made possible by the loyal support of the Eccles community over the years.

“The decision to invest in our store supports our growing business needs and has been carefully planned to ensure that we offer the best possible service to our customers.

“With increased appointments, shorter waiting times, and improved technology, we’re really proud of the changes that we’re making to the store. The entire team is excited for our loyal customers to experience the changes for themselves, whilst welcoming new customers through the door.”

 

The owners of the chain, Walgreens Boots Alliance, has confirmed that it has now approved a plan to close up to 200 branches across the country, these would be primarily stores that are within a short distance to others nearby.

Sebastian James, managing director of Boots, said:

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"We believe this is the right thing to do as it means that we can invest more in staffing those stores while not reducing our 90% coverage within a 10-minute drive of a Boots.

"We do not anticipate a significant effect from this activity to colleagues as we will redeploy the overwhelming majority to neighbouring stores."

Boots operate a number of stores in Salford and it is anyone's guess as to which if any will close.

The health and beauty chain said that closures will take place over the next 18 months.

An insider told Sky News who broke the story last month, that some of the affected sites would close as their leases expire, while others would be part of a consolidation in towns that currently have two or more separate Boots stores.

Boots is not alone as some of the UK's largest high street chains have had to radically restructure as the trend of shopping online becomes more prevalent. Chains are finding it increasingly hard to compete with the likes of Amazon who now offer same day deliveries on many items.

The redevelopment of the University of Salford’s historic Maxwell Hall is aimed at creating a world class entertainment and cultural venue for both students and the wider Salford and Greater Manchester communities.

After a competitive bidding process Architects Flanagan Lawrence have been appointed to develop the final designs, and have already created striking images of what the new venue could look like. When completed, Maxwell Hall will be an iconic new building along Salford Crescent and the A6 corridor and provide a unique venue for the city and region.

It is all part of the ambitious £800m Salford Crescent Masterplan that has been jointly developed by the University of Salford and Salford City Council to outline the vision for a new city district in the heart of Salford. 

The redevelopment of Maxwell Hall will create a large auditorium with flexible layout options and add to a growing list of cultural assets in Salford, including successful arts venue Islington Mill, Sounds of the Other City music festival and the continued growth of the creative and digital sector at Salford Quays.

Maxwell Hall has a rich history and is one of the cultural centre pieces of the university campus. It has hosted a huge range of acts including the Smiths, Pulp and The Charlatans and the aim is to attract acts of that calibre in the future, putting Salford back on the music venue map.

Developing new cultural opportunities is at the heart of the Masterplan and in recognition of this potential to grow the cultural economy in Salford, the Salford Culture and Place Partnership – a collaboration between the University, The Lowry, the City Council and other partners – was established to drive cultural activity across the City. 

Huw Williams, COO at the University of Salford said:

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“This is very exciting announcement for the University and the whole of the city. We are committed to bringing Maxwell Hall back to life, to create a vibrant space for the benefit of the whole community as well as our students.

“As the centre-piece of our campus and given its proximity to the A6, the Salford Crescent Masterplan has identified the need to retain and redevelop Maxwell Hall as a cultural and performance venue, for both students and the general public, as well as creating new spaces for conferences, events, short courses and executive education.

“Maxwell Hall has a long and distinguished history of attracting a broad range of acts and talent from across the UK and we want to build on that. We are also aiming to attract high profile conferences and events.” 

 

While the University will be investing a large amount of capital in the project, matched funding will need to be raised for part of the estimated £15m project costs and the University will work with partners to ensure the ambitious scheme goes ahead.

The redeveloped hall will provide an ideal venue for industry collaboration, mainly but not exclusively, in the cultural industries. It would also provide an opportunity for students to work hands-on in event management, hospitality, front-of-house, sales & marketing, customer care as well as a wealth of roles associated with the production and delivery of cultural events including sound production, set design, performance and broadcasting.

Architect Flanagan Lawrence has been involved with high profile cultural projects in the past, particularly in Sunderland with the huge regeneration of the Fire Station Auditorium, which will create a specialist music venue for the city. They have also worked on the Performing Arts centre for the Royal Welsh College of music and Drama in Cardiff, and the Laidlaw Music Centre for the University of St Andrews.

Jason Flanagan, Director, Flanagan Lawrence, added:

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“Maxwell Hall has a great history as a music venue and we are excited to be a part of the University of Salford’s vision for its future redevelopment.”

Plans submitted to the Council by Silverlane were today given consent by City planners, a move which will see the construction of 272  non affordable apartments at the top end of Church Street close to the train station.

As the development lies in what is considered a mid value area, there is no requirement for such to include what is termed affordable housing.

The 'Vicarage Grove' apartments will be split between a 23 storey main block alongside smaller interlocking four and six-storey blocks.

The ground floor will become a 7,500 sq ft commercial space to replace the current shops and the Top House pub.

The development was designed by architect Jeffrey Bell who also drew up proposals for 1,500 homes at Michigan Avenue on Salford Quays on behalf of Peel Land and Property.

The Quays development could rise up to 45 storeys high.

Planning documents show the town hall received seven letters of opposition, compared with four supportive ones.

Some residents have said that they are hoping to see the development usher in some much needed change to the former bustling area, whereas others have raised concerns about the viability of the design and impact of the building on the surrounding area.

One local resident said,

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"The whole area has become an embarrassing eyesore which has been neglected for more than a decade, what was once a busy market town is now a shadow of its former self, I live in hope that the area will see a huge regeneration over the coming years, it really does need it."

The social housing provider, which owns more than 8,000 homes in Salford, came in at number 11in the prestigious 24Housing Top 50 Landlords 2018 roll of honour.

The award recognises the brightest and best social landlords from across the UK, who are delivering significant change both within their organisation and communities and in the wider housing sector.

Salix Homes, which only formed as a stand-alone housing association following a stock transfer from Salford Council in 2015, recently launched its #Rethinking Housing campaign, challenging the sector to think differently about how housing services are delivered, to meet the demands of a modern world.

Lee Sugden, chief executive at Salix Homes, said:

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“To be named amongst the Top 50 Landlords in the UK is a real honour for Salix Homes, and to achieve this sort of accolade as a relatively new organisation, makes it all the more special.

“What we lack in age, we make up for in accomplishment and we are immensely proud of all we’ve achieved since launching a little over three years ago, and this award is testament to the hard work of all our colleagues and customers who make us what we are.”

 

Since launching in 2015, Salix Homes has invested almost £40million improving homes and communities across Salford.

The housing association has scooped a Platinum Neighbourhood Award from environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, in recognition of its efforts to transform the Spike Island area in Lower Broughton.

The prestigious award is based on four key areas of management of the neighbourhood, including aims and plans, community involvement, partnerships and impact.

Judges were impressed by Salix Homes’ efforts to make the neighbourhood cleaner, safer and greener with regular litter picks, clean-ups and community events to encourage residents to take pride in their communities.

Each year Salix Homes runs its Love Your Neighbourhood campaign, which sees the community join forces to celebrate the area where they live. It has also recruited a network of volunteer Community Connectors to share their knowledge of the neighbourhood and highlight the most important issues for people in the area.

Sue Sutton, executive director of operations at Salix Homes, said:

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“Salix Homes is passionate about building safe, clean, green and happy communities where our residents can be proud to live and work, so we are delighted to win this award in recognition of our efforts.

“We are dedicated to ensuring that residents are at the heart of our decisions, and one of the key reasons for the success at Spike Island is down to the partnership between residents and our partners, and this award is testament to everyone’s hard work.

“There is a real sense of togetherness at Spike Island and people have really bought into the ethos of  ‘loving their neighbourhood’, which helps create real and lasting benefits to the community.”

 

Allison Ogden-Newton, Keep Britain Tidy’s chief executive said:

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“We believe everyone deserves to live somewhere they can be proud of. If people care for the environment on their own doorstep – beginning with the street where they live – then the environment, the community and the individual will all benefit.

“With Salix Homes sharing our aims for cleaner, safer and greener neighbourhoods, we are delighted to award the Spike Island neighbourhood and Salix Homes with our Platinum Neighbourhood Award.

“We know achieving the high standards of this award is a real team effort – with Salix Homes, local residents and other partners working together to achieve fantastic things. Our congratulations go to everyone involved in achieving the Platinum Neighbourhood Award.”

 

Main Photo: Keep Britain Tidy deputy chief executive Richard McIlwain presents the award to Lee Sugden, chief executive at Salix Homes.

The council scooped both awards in London on Thursday night. A panel of 16 judges decided that nominations from the local authorities in Salford and Birmingham were so strong, they awarded both cities the title of Digital Council of the Year.

Salford won both awards for its bold ambitions and innovations in the way it is digitally transforming services to the public.

A digital revolution was launched in Salford in January this year with the start of the landmark project Digital You, which aims to help 8,000 of the most digitally excluded residents – from older residents to homeless people –  to get online by 2020.

The council has teamed up with Good Things Foundation, the UK’s leading digital and social inclusion charity, and private sector partners including Barclays, Lloyds Bank and TalkTalk to achieve this. The work is underpinned by a growing army of digital champions, and the council has its own Digital Eagles to develop new skills within its workforce.

This digital drive includes building up a network of community venues in the city that will support residents with face-to-face, informal support to boost local technology skills. So far around 30 organisations have signed up to provide help with more being added to the list each week.

Most recently the council showed its commitment to becoming a Digital City in the appointment of a Chief Digital Officer, Jon Corner, to drive the changes needed to make Salford one of the world’s most attractive cities for digital enterprise.

This award acknowledges the council’s wide range of digital developments including: the way it is transforming how its services are delivered to the public; creating a new community portal to connect communities; and, as part of the Digital Skills Partnership, the development of a Local Digital Skills Partnership delivery group. 

These public, private and charity sector organisations have been brought together by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to boost skills for a world-leading, inclusive economy. Salford is contributing to this important piece of work including the local digital skills playbook which will be a guide to doing digital inclusion locally.

Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett said: 

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“I am very proud that Salford has been recognised with such prestigious awards. It recognises how we are using digital technology to transform the city.

“Digital Salford is a key part of creating a better, fairer Salford, helping to tackle inequality and make a real difference to local people’s lives. We are improving digital literacy which in turn tackles issues such as social isolation helps improve health and wellbeing and enables people access to leaning and job opportunities.

“Digital is fundamental to the future so that people can connect to new opportunities with almost 90% of new jobs requiring digital skills.

“But all this would not be possible without our hard-working council employees as well as local residents and partners agencies who are focusing on innovative approaches.  With organisations such as Lloyds Bank, Barclays Bank, TalkTalk and Google making pledges we’re creating a real social movement for change in the city. Both awards are only thanks to everyone working together and they all deserve this national recognition.”

 

Debbie Brown, Director of Service Reform also commented:

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“We are absolutely delighted to be named both Overall DL100 winner and Digital Council of the Year. It is testimony to the City Mayor's ambition for Salford and the ambitious vision and cross sector approach. 

"It’s great to see the acknowledgment from the judges that our submission was not about the technology, but about how it benefits people.  Society is changing quickly and Salford will be at the forefront on change and innovation to the benefit of all our residents."