A new residential complex of truly-affordable housing designed to Passivhaus standards in Salford
Oldfield Basin will provide 90 new Passivhaus standard homes in Salford, creating a vibrant community that blends high-quality housing with attractive and accessible public spaces.
In collaboration with Muse, Salford City Council, and the Islington Mill Arts Club (IMAC), the scheme will enhance the surrounding area’s regeneration into a vibrant urban neighbourhood with significant residential and mixed-use developments.
It will include 63 one and two-bedroom apartments and 27 townhouses, all designed to Passivhaus standards to reduce energy bills and promote sustainability.
Uniting and nurturing the artist and residential communities
The new homes will be located next to Islington Mill Arts Club, a 6-storey grade II listed former cotton mill built in 1823. The building, characterised by robust red-brick construction and historic architectural features, once played a vital role in the city’s thriving textile industry. It is now a hub for artists and creative businesses and a plays a key role in the local arts scene.
The project will work collaboratively with Islington Mill to engage and nurture the area's existing artistic community which borders the public realm - two commercial units of the five warehouses on the existing site will be retained for continued use by cultural enterprises.
Preserving historical identity
The development will enhance external spaces with a communal garden and Festival Yard, a public square for events like makers markets. Demolition of the building over the former canal basin will create a landscaped public area.
The landscape design will reflect the site’s history by reinstating old street patterns and residential terraces. Apartments will feature gridded facades inspired by local mill architecture. The design promotes active frontages and new pedestrian routes to enliven the area around Islington Mill, highlighting its architectural and historical significance as a key focal point.