Skyscraper plan will not help housing crisis, MP warns

The proposals include a skyscraper more than 70 stories tall

Plans for a huge skyscraper development will not help a city’s housing crisis and should be rejected, an MP has said.

Henley Investment Management (HIM) has submitted plans to build 3,300 homes at Salford Regent Retail Park, creating new commercial space, a public park and a skyscraper more than 70 stories tall.

However, Salford and Eccles MP Rebecca Long-Bailey said the £1bn scheme will not deliver any affordable homes and could exacerbate the housing crisis by excluding lower-income residents and causing job losses and parking problems.

An HIM representative said the scheme would provide a major boost for local employment opportunities.

In a letter to Salford City Council, Ms Long-Bailey called for the plans to be refused for not ensuring 20% of the planned homes were "affordable" housing, a requirement in the area’s local plan.

The Labour MP said the proposals "won’t help tackle the urgent need for social and affordable housing" or the loss of shops and would exacerbate existing employment and parking issues.

She added that the scheme would also "drastically impact Salford’s skyline".

The MP said the plans "won’t help tackle the urgent need for social and affordable housing"

Salford Liberal Democrats also criticised the plans and called for the developers to think again.

A party spokesperson said it had been advocating for a "fair use of the site" that prioritises the interests of residents.

They said Liberal Democrat councillors had "set out their alternative vision for the retail park", which included prioritising affordable homes and green space.

They added that there needed to be "a major rethink on the additional parking and traffic complications the current plans will create in an already troublesome area".

More than 100 people have objected to the plans on the city council’s planning portal.

The HIM representative said Regent Park was "a once-in-a-lifetime regeneration scheme" with the potential to transform the future of the area.

They said the firm was "very surprised to see Ms Long-Bailey’s objections... especially after meeting with her and explaining the details".

They added that HIM was "absolutely committed to delivering a material number of affordable homes" and was "actively working with the local authority to finding a solution that sits externally to planning obligations and viability assessments".