Major investment plan unveiled for Salford

Salix Homeshas unveiled the details behind its multi-million pound investment plan for Salford.

We have announced today (Friday)our improvement programme for the next two years, which will see £22million invested in 2,200 homes across the city.

Ageing tower block trio Mulberry, Magnolia and Sycamore Court, on Pendleton’s Broadwalk Estate, are among the communities earmarked for investment.

The three greying tower blocks, which are in the heart of the Pendleton regeneration area, will undergo a £7m transformation starting this spring, with 281 properties set to be completely modernised.

As part of the investment project, 166 properties on the South Ordsall Esate will also undergo refurbishment, while a further 230 properties on the Tootal Estate in Weaste will be overhauled.

Ailsa House, an apartment block in need of significant investment on a key gateway into Media CityUK, will also undergo a much-needed makeover. Salix Homes is investing £300,000 to modernise the building for its residents on Langworthy Road.

A revamp at Canon Green Court in Broughton is expected to begin next year when the ageing apartment complex will undergo a £2.9m makeover.

Lee Sugden, chief executive at Salix Homes, said: “We are delighted to be able to finally announce the details of our investment plans for the next two years, which will see us continue with our ambitious plans to improve all 8,500 of our properties.

“This significant level of investment would never have been possible if tenants had not voted to transfer their homes from Salford Council to Salix Homes, so now we owe it to our tenants to deliver on our promises and create the kind of homes and communities that the people of this city deserve.

“Against a back drop of budget cuts and austerity measures, Salix Homes is extremely proud to be at the heart of one of the biggest and boldest investment programmes for social housing in Salford, which will dramatically improve quality of life for all our tenants.

“Salix Homes has a long term plan to build a bright future for social housing in this city, providing good quality homes for generations to come and this £22m improvement programme is demonstration of that.”

As part of the two-year investment plan, 1,100 homes will get new kitchens, 600 will get new bathrooms, 850 will get new windows and 800 will get new doors.

The work is the continuation of an ambitious programme to improve all 8,500 homes currently managed by the housing provider and bring every property up to the Government’s Decent Homes standard by 2020.

This comes after tenants in Salford voted to transfer ownership of their homes from Salford Council to Salix Homes last November – a move that will release £75m investment in homes and communities over the next five years.

The transfer is expected the take place at the end of March, and the first phase of improvement work will begin in spring. Salix Homes will appoint specialist contractors to carry out the improvement programme later this month (February).

The 2015-17 investment programme includes the projects listed below. Please note that all figures are indicative and subject to final property surveys.

Tootal Estate, Weaste – 230 properties

Weaste Steel Estate – 67 properties

Meadowgate Estate, Seedley – 98 properties

Gerald Road, Charlestown – 150 properties

South Ordsall Estate – 166 properties

Broadwalk Estate Pendleton – 281 properties

Ailsa House, Langworthy Road Weaste – 24 properties

Windsor Albion low rise apartment blocks – 34 properties

Canon Green Court, Broughton – 110 properties

Spike Island Estate, Broughton – 341 properties

My Street, Weaste – 229 properties

Medway Close, Weaste – 10 properties

Devonshire Road – 29 properties

Albion Stadium Estate, Charlestown – 114 properties

Hamilton Gardens Estate, Broughton – 75 properties

Brunswick Estate, Charlestown – 54 properties

Lissadel Street, Charlestown – 75 properties

London Street, Charlestown – 65 properties