Originals plans for the ‘Watergardens’
Back in 2019, Peel L&P submitted plans for the regeneration of the Quayside shopping centre’s southern canal side walkway, the bit located down the side of the VUE cinema.
Dubbed the ‘Watergardens‘, it was a £26m project to create a food and drink destination that hoped to attract large operators to the area.
This week has seen Peel L&P revise these plans, instead seeing them invest £5m over the next five years to create a waterside food, drink and retail venue complete with a foodhall to champion local and regional vendors.
The proposed plans will feature new pop-up units created from shipping containers, new terraces for outdoor dining, enhanced landscaping as well as a community space.
Our artists impression of the shipping container village.
The news comes after plans for a revamp of Quayside’s food court were unveiled, as part of a five-year vision for the shopping centre.
Plans also include a Health & Wellbeing Hub on the first floor, including a medical centre as well as community event space.
Stephen Wild, Peel L&P’s Director for Strategic Investment and Growth said: “Planning permission was granted in 2019 for a remodelled southern waterfront for a scheme known as the Watergardens.
“However, since then we have lived through a pandemic which has refocused our minds on what our local community needs.
“Following extensive consultation with those who live and work within Salford Quays during 2021 it identified an appetite for an enhanced provision of independent shops, cafes and restaurants, markets or a market hall and a medical centre.”
He added: “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 grow.”
