Peel Go Massive In Huge Development

PEEL Media has submitted the planning application for the second phase of Media City UK, a mixed-use development of hotel, offices, retail, leisure, residential and parking.

The site is bounded by Broadway, South Langworthy Road and The Quays. Salford City Council has started the statutory consultation period into the application and will consult until 25 January. The planning committee decision is scheduled for 22 March.

The breakdown of uses on the application is as follows:

• 2.3m sq ft offices
• 1,036 residential units
• 278,000 sq ft hotel
• 87,000 sq ft local retail
• 27,000 sq ft leisure
• 1.2m sq ft parking 
• Total: 4.9m sq ft

If fully built out, the second phase would eclipse the first, completed in 2011. Phase one contains 770,000 sq ft of offices including BBC North in 330,000 sq ft in three buildings and ITV in 46,500 sq ft; 378 apartments, a 218-bed Holiday Inn hotel, 80,000 sq ft of retail anchored by Booths, and a 2,300-space car park.

Along with the eye-boggling stats, there'll be a lovely 'green' feel to the development

 These include: 

• Improved pedestrian/cycle access to surrounding neighbourhoods and public transport system
• Retention of existing trees to create an ‘ecology corridor’
• Water features and green roofs to attenuate rainwater run-off and rainwater harvesting
• Buildings specially designed to facilitate high levels of natural light and ventilation
• Buildings capable of accommodating low energy technologies, including water heaters and combined heat and power systems

Stephen Wild, managing director, MediaCityUK, said: "We see the new development playing a pivotal role in supporting what Peel has already built in the initial phases, as well as furthering the city council’s aspiration of creating a new town centre at Salford Quays. This is a 20-year plan and demonstrates our continuing long-term commitment to the area.  We will now consult as widely as possible in producing our detailed plans."

Peel are all over our news this week with a value reduction at MediaCityUK and their results from 2011.