Content

Salford City Council - Record of Decision (Cabinet)
 
I
Councillor Jack Youd, Deputy City Mayor, in exercise of the
powers contained within the City Council Constitution do hereby:

Approve the
selection of Muse as the strategic regeneration partner for the
development opportunity in Eccles.
Approve the
selection of Muse as contractual developer partner for
Eccles.
Approve the future conditional disposals of land at Eccles
subject to completion of a satisfactory Development Proposal
Notice
Authorise the Executive Director for Place and City Solicitor to
finalise and enter into legal arrangements as set out in the OPA
between the Council and Muse, following consultation with Lead
Member of Finance, Support Services and Regeneration. 

The Reasons are:
Eccles
is a priority for the city identified in the Corporate Plan with a
commitment to develop a long term plan of Eccles Town Centre. This
approach will deliver against this commitment and provides a long
term partner who is committed to delivering generational
change. 
The
Strategic Regeneration and Growth forum has been set up to
accelerate development in Salford and includes Homes England and
GMCA, alongside the first two Strategic Regeneration Partners, Peel
and Muse, who have a clear track record of delivering
transformational regeneration projects over a long period of time
within the city.
Muse
through their submission, have demonstrated a track record and a
future commitment to transform Eccles in the way that the community
and the city council have set out in the Eccles Vision. 
The
response exhibits considerable experience and expertise to deliver
high quality responses across all the criteria that the council has
identified as priorities, including an undertaking of exemplar
Social Value outputs.  
Full
governance structures will be established with an executive
steering group and a working group, further decisions will be
brought at key milestones to Property and Regeneration before the
drawdown of land.
 

Options considered and rejected were:
A
variety of options were considered including direct procurement of
services &  contracts. The agreed
route through the forum, utilising arrangements via the OPA,
ensures momentum is kept, with both cost and time
efficiencies.
 

Assessment of Risk:
Low –
The risk to the Council is
considered low.  The response submitted
by Muse forms
the basis of an initial
agreement that will allow the SRP the confidence to progress the
opportunity presented with a view to advancing an initial phase
against the wider scheme. 
 
Future phases will require an
extensive list of documents that will be assessed to confirm that
the proposed development is realistic, fit for purpose and
deliverable. 
Phase conditions and overage
provisions will be applicable, where agreement will be made for an
appropriate return, reflective of a market rate, recognising the
risk profile of the scheme.
 
The Council will not be obliged
to sell any phase to the SRP unless the SRP has first satisfied the
relevant phase conditions before the longstop date set out in
agreed Phase Contracts.
 

The source of funding is:
There
are no direct financial implications to the council.
Muse
have access to their own Pre-Construction working capital for
planning and construction phases. 
Detailed phase funding will come forward with that phase
drawdown.
A
Development Trust Account will be set up to cross subsidise less
profitable schemes. 
 
Legal Advice obtained:
 
The OPA sets out a framework for dealing with regeneration
opportunities within Salford.  The first
opportunity to come forward is in respect of Eccles Town Centre.  The selection of
Muse will (following the satisfaction of various conditions) lead
to a land disposal of the first phase. 
 
The Legal Services team at
Manchester City Council will continue to support the Council with
the preparation and completion of an appropriate form of phase
contract and giving effect to the recommendations as set out in
this report.
 

Financial Advice obtained:
The Cabinet report details the request to appoint Muse
as strategic regeneration partner for Eccles
Town Centre.
 
There are no direct financial
implications in engaging with Muse. As the delivery partnership
progresses and development proposals are brought forward through
masterplanning, the financial implications will be reviewed on a
proposal by proposal basis.
 

Procurement Advice obtained:
 
The appointment of Muse as the
selected partner is in line with the Growth and Regeneration
Partnership agreement.
 

Climate Change Advice obtained:
Muse
has demonstrable experience of building sustainable
homes.  Their submission refers to
delivering, where possible, a Passivhaus approach.  This will ensure low carbon, climate resistant
high quality homes, resulting in a reduction in bills for new
residents, as well as contributing to the Council’s
aspirations on reducing carbon and being net zero by
2038.
 
The enhancement of the existing
green space is also recognised as an opportunity to improve the
quality of the urban environment.
 
Active travel is also seen as a
priority to connect active travel routes to transport
hubs.  
 
Together with Salford Royal
Hospital the new Eccles Town Centre redevelopment offers an
opportunity for the development of a low carbon heat network, this
will be explored with Muse.  
 
Climate change implications
will be assessed in further detail as later phase contracts and
considered.
 

The following documents have been used to assist the
decision process:
Eccles Vision
 
Contact Officer:  Kurt
Partington                          
Email
via teams: kurt.partington@salford.gov.uk
 
The
appropriate scrutiny to call-in the decision is the Growth &
Prosperity Scrutiny Panel.         
           

 

 

Signed:
      Councillor Jack
Youd          
Dated:      09.07.25        
                       
Deputy City Mayor
 

For Democratic
Services use only

 

This decision was
published on  09.07.25                                           

This decision will
come in force at 4.00 p.m. on 16.07.25                   
                              
unless it is called-in in
accordance with the Decision Making Process Rules.