A legible network of liveable streets and gardens beside the canal
Client Scarborough Group International
Project Role Design
Scale 1,117 Homes
Status Complete
Middlewood Locks is one of Greater Manchester’s most ambitious regeneration projects. Set between the River Irwell and the Manchester Ship Canal, the site once formed part of Salford’s industrial heartland – defined by docks, rail infrastructure and fragmented brownfield land.
Phase 1 and Phase 2 form the foundations of that vision, delivering high quality homes while establishing a strong identity for the wider masterplan. The brief was clear: create a distinctive urban community that respects the site’s heritage, maximises waterside living, and sets a benchmark for design quality, commercial viability and placemaking.
Canalside public realm
Establishing a connected waterside community
Our design approach for the first two phases of Middlewood Locks is rooted in precedent studies of successful urban environment to create a strong sense of place. Capitalising on the site’s skyline views, heritage assets and connectivity, the site prioritises physical and visual connections, particularly to the canal, which forms the spine of the development.
Legible urban blocks, cascading courtyard gardens and pedestrian-focused streets shape a people-first environment that avoids car dominance. High-quality, durable materials and human-scaled massing create a cohesive architectural language while maintaining variety and character. Elevations break themselves down to provide clear hierarchy with particular focus on how they interact with the ground through increased detail and tactility.
Human scale on the canal
A liveable streetscene
Secluded podium gardens
Variety in scale animating streets
Efficiency without compromising quality
Amid the recession, Brexit and the impact of Covid-19, each phase of Middlewood Locks has prioritised value and viability. Delivering the first two phases under such financial pressures is a significant achievement for the project team.
Despite these challenges, our commitment to quality and raising standards in the sector remained central, alongside a focus on intelligent, efficient design. Every element – from site levels to façade articulation – was rigorously tested to protect viability while maintaining a strong architectural identity. Variations in plot heights, brick types and textures create character and distinction without unnecessary gestures.
Efficiency extended beyond the façade. A robust, repeatable specification, rationalised apartment types and vertically stacked layouts reduced cost and complexity, improving net-to-gross ratios. The use of offsite modular bathroom pods further supported programme certainty. For our practice, value engineering is embedded throughout the design process, not applied retrospectively.
Efficiency through a kit of parts
Creating momentum for future phases.
Phases 1 and 2 establish the character and confidence of Middlewood Locks. What was once underused industrial land is now a growing urban community, reconnecting Salford to its waterfront and creating homes within walking distance of Manchester city centre.
The development has catalysed further investment across the masterplan, proving the viability of high quality, design led regeneration. More importantly, it has created a place where people live beside water, walk along restored towpaths, and feel part of a neighbourhood shaped by history but designed for contemporary urban life.
Middlewood Locks demonstrates our belief in being progressive by design – transforming overlooked sites into enduring places that enhance everyday urban living.
Dusk at Middlewood Locks
