Salford Quays

Salford Quays

Salford Quays and Manchester Ship Canal (looking west)
Salford Quays
 Salford Quays shown within Greater Manchester
OS grid referenceSJ807972
Metropolitan boroughSalford
Metropolitan county Greater Manchester
RegionNorth West
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post town SALFORD
Postcode district M50
Dialling code 0161
Police Greater Manchester
Fire Greater Manchester
Ambulance North West
EU Parliament North West England
UK ParliamentSalford and Eccles
List of places
UK
England
Greater Manchester

Coordinates: 53°28′16″N 2°17′35″W / 53.471°N 2.293°W

Salford Quays is an area of Salford, Greater Manchester, England, near the end of the Manchester Ship Canal. Previously the site of Manchester Docks, it became one of the first and largest urban regeneration projects in the United Kingdom following the closure of the dockyards in 1982.

History

Aerial photograph showing Salford Quays with Manchester (top) and Trafford (bottom)

Built by the Manchester Ship Canal Company, Salford Docks was the larger of two sections that made up Manchester Docks; the other being Pomona Docks to the east.[1] They were opened in 1894 by Queen Victoria[2] and spanned 120 acres (49 ha) of water and 1,000 acres (400 ha) of land.[1] At their height the Manchester Docks were the third busiest port in Britain, but after containerisation and the limit placed on vessel size on the Manchester Ship Canal, the docks declined during the 1970s.[1] They closed in 1982, resulting in the loss of 3000 jobs.[2]

In 1983 Salford City Council acquired parts of the docks covering 220 acres (90 ha) from the Manchester Ship Canal Company with the aid of a derelict land grant.[3] The area was rebranded as Salford Quays and redevelopment by Urban Waterside began in 1985 under the Salford Quays Development Plan.[1] Faced with major pollution issues from quality of the water in the ship canal, dams were built to isolate the docks, after which water quality was improved by aerating it using a compressed air mixing system. Within two years the quality was sufficient to introduce 12,000 coarse fish, which have thrived in the environment. Water quality is monitored fortnightly by scientists from APEM, the Manchester University Aquatic Pollution and Environmental Monitoring Unit, and the improved habitat has been recognised by the Angling Foundation and the Institute of Fisheries Management.[3]

Between 1986 and 1990 the infrastructure of the docks was modified to create an internal waterway network. Roads and bridges were built and a promenade along the waterfront constructed and landscaped. Moorings and watersports facilities were provided and a railway swing bridge relocated to cross Dock 9. A hotel, cinema, housing, offices were built on Piers 5 and 6 followed by more developments on Pier 7. Public funding and private investment totalled around £280 million by the early 1990s.[2]

Landmarks

The Lowry

The Lowry Theatre, designed by Michael Wilford.

Early in the planning stages for redevelopment of Salford Quays in 1988, potential was recognised for a landmark arts venue, the Salford Quays Centre for the Performing Arts, which became known as the Lowry Project in 1994. It had secured £64 million in funding by 22 February 1996.[2]

The Lowry stands at the end of Pier 8, largely surrounded by the waters of the Manchester Ship Canal. Designed by James Stirling and Michael Wilford, it opened on 28 April 2000 and houses the 1730 seat Lyric theatre, the 466 seat Quays theatre, studio spaces and 17,330 square feet (1,610 m2) of gallery space.[4] There are cafes, bars and a restaurant at the south-western end of the building. The centre is associated with L. S. Lowry, and houses a unique collection of his work.

Imperial War Museum North

The Imperial War Museum North, opened 2001 and designed by Daniel Libeskind.

The Imperial War Museum North (IWM North), on Trafford Wharf Road in Trafford Park, overlooks the Manchester Ship Canal on the opposite bank to the Lowry and MediaCityUK. The area was heavily bombed during the Manchester Blitz in 1940. The museum, designed by architect Daniel Libeskind, opened in July 2002. Its structure was designed to be a metaphor for a world shattered by war with sloping walls and ceilings. Three areas, the Air, Earth and Water Shards house exhibition and gallery space, public areas and restaurants.

The museum is proud of its extensive collection of historical artifacts, primarily from the wars occurring during the 20th century, the museum also has an exhibition house of whose theme changes on a regular basis. At the moment (2013), the exhibition is dedicated to Medicine Through Time. The museum also currently has a large artifact from the New York 9/11 Twin Tower disaster.

MediaCityUK

MediaCity at night

MediaCityUK is a 200-acre (81 ha) mixed-use property development on Pier 9 of the Quays with a focus on creative industries. It was developed by the Peel Group. Its principal tenants are media organisations including the BBC. The brownfield site occupied by the development was part of the Port of Manchester.[5]

Businesses

The Lowry Outlet Mall contains outlet stores of well-known high-street businesses, including Cadbury's, Marks & Spencer and Costa Coffee. The mall contains coffee shops and convenience food chains, and a multi-screen cinema operated by Vue. Outside the mall, a bar and several restaurants overlook the Lowry plaza.

The head office of the UK arm of Communicorp is situated in Laser House on Salford Quays, with the company's flagship stations 100.4 Smooth Radio and Real Radio XS broadcasting from studios there. Standing at the head of Erie Basin (Dock 9), Anchorage is a complex of buildings, home to BUPA and Barclaycard. To the north side of Erie Basin stand the Victoria and Alexandra buildings.

To the south east, the former Colgate-Palmolive factory is under going a £25m renovation project known as Soapworks and set to create around 2,000 jobs and provide retail, accommodation, leisure facilities and 350,000 sq ft of office space at Salford Quays.

Residential

The NV Buildings

Some of the first developments in Salford Quays were residential,[6] initial builds consisting of traditional low-rise flats and town houses in Grain Wharf and Merchants Quay. As the area prospered, more high-rise buildings were constructed to increase housing density on the limited pier space. Because of the premium on space, apartments have been constructed on the opposite side of Trafford Road to the Quays.

Low Rise

High Rise

Millennium Bridge, Salford Quays (fully raised)

Leisure uses

Sport

In 2003, Salford Quays was the venue for the first International Triathlon Union World Cup event to be held in the UK. It has since become an annual event held at the end of July each year, although the 2008 event was cancelled because of a clash with the Beijing Olympics.[14] In September 2010 and May 2011, the site hosted the Great Salford Swim, a mass participation open water swim event. The event has been re-branded as the Great Manchester Swim since 2012.

Salford Watersports Centre opened in 2001, in Ontario Basin, a closed off area created for it providing a range of watersports and outdoor activities including Royal Yachting Association recognised training in sailing and British Canoe Union recognised training in kayaking and canoeing. Agecroft Rowing Club currently operates from Salford Quays.

In 2013, the triathlon returns on Sunday 18 August 2013. The event offers triathletes of all abilities the chance to compete on fast, flat courses with the Sprint and Standard distances.

Tourism

Salford Quays is part of a joint tourism initiative between Salford City Council and Trafford Borough Council, supported by private sector partners including the Lowry, the Imperial War Museum North, Manchester United F.C., Lancashire County Cricket Club, the Lowry Outlet Mall and the Golden Tulip and Copthorne Hotels; working in partnership with Marketing Manchester. Salford Quays forms one part of the area known as the Quays, which also includes Trafford Wharf and Old Trafford, on the Manchester side of the ship canal.[15]

Transport

Manchester Metrolink tram bound for Piccadilly at Exchange Quay Metrolink Station.

Salford Quays is connected to Manchester city centre by the Manchester Metrolink. This connection opened in 1999 and was extended onward to Eccles in 2000. The section of the Eccles Line from Pomona to MediaCityUK serves the Salford Quays area. Trams operate every 12 minutes throughout the day and every 12–15 minutes on Sundays. MediaCityUK Metrolink station opened in summer 2010 to serve the MediaCityUK complex.

The proposed Metrolink Trafford Park Line includes two stations close to Salford Quays: Wharfside and Imperial War Museum.

Stagecoach Manchester bus 50, branded as "City Connect", connects Salford Quays to Salford Crescent station, Manchester city centre and East Didsbury. It starts and terminates at The Lowry.

Salford Quays and the Trafford Wharf area are accessible from the M602 motorway and major arterial routes from the Trafford Centre, Manchester city centre, Salford and Old Trafford. Many main routes around the Quays are high-quality dual carriageway routes, built after the closure of Salford Docks.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Salford Quays, Pastscape.org.uk, retrieved 28 April 2008
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Salford Quays Milestones: The Story of Salford Quays (PDF), Salford City council, retrieved 21 August 2009
  3. 3.0 3.1 "Water Quality". Salford City Council.
  4. About The Lowry, The Lowry, retrieved 9 July 2007
  5. MediaCityUK, Salford City Council, retrieved 6 October 2011
  6. Salford Quays early developments, Salford City Council, retrieved 27 August 2007
  7. Spotlight on Salford Quays, Manchester Online, retrieved 27 August 2007
  8. Lee, Diane; Craven, Ken (2005), Salford Quays Heritage Trail, Industrial Powerhouse
  9. SkyscraperPage.com, SkyscraperPage.com, retrieved 28 August 2007
  10. Sovereign Point Poll, skyscrapercity.com, retrieved 28 August 2007
  11. NV Buildings, Manchester, Broadway Malyan Limited, retrieved 28 August 2007
  12. Stock, Jon (27 November 2004), And the jester's prize goes to ... William Hague, London: Telegraph Media Group, retrieved 28 August 2007
  13. PropertyWeek, PropertyWeek.com, retrieved 1 July 2008
  14. The Salford BG Triathlon World Cup, Salford City Council, retrieved 27 August 2008
  15. Welcome to the Quays, Quays Partnership, retrieved 1 November 2007

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Salford Quays.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Salford Quays.