Pozzoni moves forward with North West's large scale low energy housing development

Building work will soon begin on the North West’s large-scale low energy residential development in Salford, which has been designed in consultation with Pozzoni Architecture.

The designs for the new Longshaw Drive housing development in Little Hulton were given the green light at Planning Committee last month. The approval means that 177 new sustainable homes will now be delivered as part of Salford City Council’s largest social housing project in 50 years.

The homes are to be built to low energy standards and will be located on a vacant site previously populated by the former buildings of Hulton High / Little Hulton Community School, which were removed in 2009.

Pozzoni has been involved in the design of the site and its new buildings with careful consideration given to the existing residential surroundings. There will be one main entrance for vehicles with pedestrian routes and cycle access incorporated.

The new affordable homes will be available with a range of options for occupants including social and affordable rent, home ownership and private rented accommodation. There will be no visible differentiation between tenure types and each home will make efficient use of available space, with existing site levels and topography taken into account to form an integrated and logical arrangement of new streets.

The development will feature a wide variety of housing styles, including a number of wheelchair adapted properties amongst a choice of two-bedroom terraces, three- and four-bedroom semi-detached houses, a five-bed detached house, plus three blocks of three-storey apartments. Longshaw Drive is one of the first and the largest sites to be developed under Salford City Council’s new social housing plan, with other nearby housing developments to include Clifton Green, Pendlebury, Brassington Avenue and Ryall Avenue.

The scheme is due to start on site in the coming months.

Sophie Roberts, project architect, Pozzoni Architecture, said:

“This is a milestone project for Pozzoni. We’re incredibly proud of the sustainable housing designs we’ve achieved for Longshaw Drive by working to Salford City Council’s brief to create a leading development of low energy and affordable homes.

“By aiming to meet the highest possible standards of sustainable housing design across this site, we’re incredibly excited to see work begin on this scheme and we’re already leveraging our learnings from the project for best practice across our growing portfolio of sustainable net zero developments.

Avison Young, Anne Hargreaves, planning consultant for the scheme, said:

“Salford City Council and the design team have worked closely with the Local Planning Authority to develop a well-balanced and well considered residential proposal that will be of significant benefit to the locality in years to come – it has been a pleasure to be involved”.

Jeremy Poulter of Phi Low Carbon said:

"It's great to see low carbon, low energy standards now being targeted by Local Authorities for these large residential schemes. We are pleased to be part of the project team, working with Pozzoni to help deliver this pioneering low energy project."

The scheme is being project managed by Identity Consult, with Curtins as the lead transport consultancy, civil and structural engineers.