A waterfront development aimed at championing "up and coming food and drink independents" has been given the go-ahead. The £5m development at Media City is a scaled-back alternative to an original £26m proposal.
It will see Quayside, the location's southern canal side walkway next to The Lowry theatre transformed. Developers, Peel Land and Property, say the first traders will be operating by Christmas, with "start up brands" in six units created from shipping containers.
Overlooking the iconic view of Manchester United's Old Trafford stadium, The Millennium Bridge and the Imperial War Museum, there will be new terraces for outdoor dining and "attractive landscaping."
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There will be an independent food hall and community space "which will provide a platform for start-ups as well as nurture and support new, homegrown talent," say Peel.
It is part of Peel's five-year redevelopment plan for Quayside MediaCity with works due to commence within weeks. Currently, as part of the plans, the food court is being upgraded and given a fresh new overhaul and will be complete by early summer.
Stephen Wild, Peel L&P’s Director for Strategic Investment and Growth said: “We’re excited to be given the go ahead on what will give residents, workers and visitors to the Quays and MediaCity a stunning, new space overlooking the waterfront to dine, have a drink or buy local produce.
“Our local residents wanted to see a more independent offering and we’re looking forward to providing a platform for exciting, new brands from the locality and wider region.”
Peel L&P’s revised planning submission for the waterfront dining destination followed the launch of the ‘Salford Quays: A New Vision 2030’ earlier this year, which aims to better enable Quayside MediaCity to play a role as the "town centre" for Salford Quays.
Mr Wild added: “The approval of these plans is the first step in what is a long-term commitment by Peel L&P to create a town centre provision for the Quays. For the future, our aspiration is to bring a range of health and wellbeing community services to Quayside MediaCity which is a crucial element within every community.”
The scheme replaces a proposal approved in 2019 for a £26m leisure project named ‘the Watergardens’. That 35,000 sq ft project began in 2019 but was put on hold and ultimately reworked due to the pandemic.
It was aimed at attracting large operators, whereas the revised plan is more geared towards independent traders. The waterfront promenade connecting the Millennium Bridge to Quayside which featured in the Watergardens proposal is not included in the updated plan.
Mr Wild said: “Since [the Watergardens permission] we have lived through a pandemic that has refocused our minds on what our local community needs.
“Extensive consultation with those who live and work within Salford Quays during 2021 identified an appetite for an enhanced provision of independent shops, cafes and restaurants, markets or a market hall and a medical centre.
“We’ve listened to all the views shared and we’re excited to have revised our plans to reflect what people have said. We hope this next phase of investment will enable the shopping centre to successfully play its part in the Quays town centre provision for the long term as the number of residents here grows.”
