ECF Secures Planning Approval for 263 New Homes at £2.5bn Crescent Salford Masterplan
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
The English Cities Fund (ECF) has successfully secured planning permission to deliver 263 new homes at Adelphi Village, the primary residential component of the £2.5 billion Crescent Salford masterplan. This significant milestone will see the construction of three new apartment blocks on Peru Street, including over a hundred ultra-low carbon Passivhaus homes. Backed by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s Good Growth Fund, the scheme represents a major step forward in delivering sustainable, high-quality urban living in the North West.
Project overview
Project name: Old Adelphi (Adelphi Village phase of Crescent Salford).
Location: Peru Street, Salford, Greater Manchester.
Developer, contractor, and client: English Cities Fund (a joint venture between Muse, Homes England, and Legal & General) in partnership with Salford City Council and the University of Salford.
Project value: Supported by a £23.4 million allocation from the GMCA Good Growth Fund (part of the £2.5 billion masterplan).
Site size or scale: 263 new homes.
Sector: Residential and urban regeneration.
Scope of works: Construction of 151 apartments across two five- and six-storey buildings, alongside 112 affordable Passivhaus apartments, with integrated landscaping and active travel infrastructure.
Major numbers or outputs: Delivery of one, two, and three-bedroom apartments, heavily focused on social and affordable rent tenures.
Delivery partners and key stakeholders
The ambitious Adelphi Village development is being spearheaded by the English Cities Fund (ECF), a powerful nationwide regeneration vehicle comprising Muse, Homes England, and Legal & General. ECF is delivering the scheme in a strategic public-private partnership with Salford City Council and the University of Salford. The architectural vision for this residential phase has been designed by Buttress Architects, who are leading the delivery of the high-quality Passivhaus units. Furthermore, specialist landscape architects Re-form have been appointed to collaborate with Buttress to ensure the built environment is seamlessly integrated with green infrastructure, cycle routes, and new public realm spaces.
Construction and technical details
The technical delivery of this phase is heavily focused on stringent environmental performance and sustainable placemaking. The scheme will see the erection of 151 apartments housed within traditional five- and six-storey mid-rise structures. However, the standout engineering element is the delivery of 112 dedicated Passivhaus apartments. Building to the rigorous Passivhaus standard requires exceptional technical precision, heavily insulated building envelopes, stringent airtightness, and the installation of mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) systems to drastically reduce operational energy consumption. Alongside the structural works, the civil and landscaping scope includes the creation of biodiverse outdoor spaces, substantial tree planting, and secure cycle storage, all designed to mandate sustainable urban drainage and encourage active travel among residents.
Timeline
June 2026: Full planning permission formally approved for the 263-home scheme.
Summer 2026: Enabling works and main construction expected to commence on site.
2026: Anticipated completion of the adjacent Willohaus Passivhaus phase, setting the standard for the new units.
Long-term: Ongoing phased delivery of the wider 240-acre, £2.5 billion Crescent Salford masterplan extending over the next decade.
Strategic importance
Securing approval for this phase of Adelphi Village is a critical catalyst for the wider 240-acre Crescent Salford masterplan, one of the most significant brownfield regeneration projects in the UK. By utilising £23.4 million from the GMCA’s Good Growth Fund, the partnership is proving that high-density urban regeneration can be successfully balanced with vital affordable housing quotas and world-class environmental standards. The inclusion of 112 Passivhaus homes at scale demonstrates a profound market shift towards net-zero living, setting a formidable benchmark for future residential developments across Greater Manchester and the wider Northern Powerhouse region.
Writer's opinion
The English Cities Fund consistently proves that complex, multi-stakeholder urban regeneration can be executed efficiently when the right public and private entities align. What stands out in this Adelphi Village phase is not just the volume of homes, but the uncompromising commitment to the Passivhaus standard for the affordable units. Developing ultra-low energy housing at scale is technically demanding and often value-engineered out of mid-market schemes. By locking this in at the planning stage, ECF and Salford City Council are future-proofing their housing stock against energy price volatility and demonstrating genuine leadership in the UK’s transition to sustainable development.
