The scheme, which includes the UK’s tallest tower outside of London, was voted through by seven votes to three last November, but has now been stalled by a complaint lodged by the Save Regent Retail Park campaign group, which has been upheld by the Salford City Council’s legal department.

As reported by the BBC, the complaint found that a ‘procedural conflict of interest’ had existed during the planning process, with councillor Philip Cusack, then chair of the planning committee, also being director of the council’s social housing company, Derive.

Within the plans to create 3,300 homes across 10 blocks of between 8 and 78 storeys, were 660 homes for social rent. It was argued that this meant Derive could potentially be involved in the scheme at a later date, and therefore Cusack had a conflict of interest.

The decision notice on the scheme’s planning application page has now been taken down, and the council has said the application is likely to come back to the planning committee for another vote.

It has been reported that Cusack believed there was no conflict of interest posed by his position at Derive, and had been informed by council officers that the affordable housing portion of the scheme would be addressed separately to the main application, through a lease agreement.

A Salford City Council spokesperson confirmed to the AJ that the planning application remained under consideration, was neither withdrawn nor refused, and was expected to be brought back to the Planning and Transportation Regulatory Panel at a date to be determined.

The spokesperson said: ‘It is necessary for a procedural matter to be addressed. The previous resolution to grant permission for development at Regent Retail Park was subject to conditions and completion of a legal agreement. It is not necessary for the application to be withdrawn; it will be reconsidered by the planning panel.’

The council’s planning committee had previously deferred a decision on the application, earmarked for a 4.9ha retail park west of Manchester’s ring road and the River Irwell, despite planning officers recommending approval in July 2025.

When the scheme was approved in November, the proposal had amassed more than 460 objections from residents, many of which argued that the application was an over-development of the site and would put stress on surrounding infrastructure.

Developer Henley Investment Management had promised to deliver 2ha of new public realm, with a 1ha linear park and 8,000m² of retail space in 15 shop units.

In a statement released to Place North West, a spokesperson for Henley said: ‘We have not withdrawn our planning application and are pressing ahead with our development …

‘We are aware of the council’s internal procedural issue which is frustrating, but we have a close ongoing dialogue, and they are keeping us updated.’

The two-phase scheme, billed as a new community neighbourhood, also includes 1,000 cycle parking spaces for residents and up to 600 car parking spaces.

It includes a pair of 8-storey blocks and a 13-storey block, as well as towers standing at 24, 29, 33, 39, 40, 60 and 78 storeys. The tallest tower would be 241.5m — meaning that, in the UK, only The Shard at London Bridge and a handful of towers in the City of London would be taller. 

Matt Brook Architects has been contacted by the AJ for comment.

Work had been expected to start on site this year.

Axonometric. View from residential level

Source: Matt Brook Architects

Project data

Location Salford
Local planning authority Salford City Council
Sectors Masterplanning, residential, commercial, community
Client Henley Investment Management
Total cost circa £1.3 billion
Masterplanner and architect Matt Brook Architects
Landscape architect LDA
Planning consultant Savills
Structural engineer AKT II
M&E consultant HDR
Sustainability consultant Twin & Earth
Project manager BuroFour
Costs consultant Gardiner & Theobald
Transport consultant Vectos
Visualisation Mode Visuals

Concept sketch.

Source: Matt Brook Architects