Connell Brothers readies Eccles wrecking ball
Around a third of the town’s rundown shopping centre is to be demolished to make way for the site’s wholesale regeneration.
Connell Brothers, a specialist demolition contractor, has been awarded a £578,000 contract to knock down the 66,000 sq ft northern portion of the Eccles Shopping Centre.
This comprises 14 retail units, the shopping centre’s multi-storey car park, and Northway Market.
The demolition work is due to begin in September.
The southern portion of the complex, which makes up phase two of the regeneration project, will remain operational for another three years.
The regeneration project is on target to begin in late 2026. Salford is in the process of selecting a development partner to take the regeneration scheme forward. An announcement on the successful party is due in December.
It has been more than 18 months since the authority acquired the 180,000 sq ft Eccles Shopping Centre complex from Columbia Threadneedle for around £4.15m.
At the time, City Mayor Paul Dennett said that the shopping centre as it stands “is not working for the town or the community”.
The proposed regeneration is expected to be residential-led and will feature new civic spaces and community facilities.
Identity Consult is advising the council on the scheme, which has been awarded £5.4m from the previous government’s Levelling Up Fund.
About time some money is spent on Eccles it’s like the town that time forgot like a lot of areas in Salford, thank you to the government.
By Claire Hamilton
Eccles was a brilliant town until it went under salford
By Anonymous
Shame its only a third, but great news none the less.
By Anonymous
Eccles will look like Birmingham soon
By Mr unhappy
Eccles was ok before shopping centre was built. Should take some inspiration from Eden Square which is lovely place and lively.
By Anonymous
50 years of memories gone, Mark the mod
By Henry norton
And even more thanks to Salford Council, dont you think? Of course, tons of thanks to the Tory government in London who gave us a bit of our own local taxmoney back.
By Anonymous
Can’t come soon enough but I really hope the council and development team do not waste this once in a life time opportunity. The potential is there, I just hope the right people make the right decisions and we don’t continue to fall behind many other towns…
By Anonymous
What no Hotel
By Mark duxberry
Let’s hope they make a better job this time. Eccles has be left long enough, because all money has gone to salford. Let’s hope they sort Liverpool Road out from Eccles up to Patricroft Bridge, that stretch is the pits. Ugly coloured buildings and rubbish everywhere.
By Anonymous
Looking forward to it 👍
By Lorraine
If the council can find money for this project,(long over due) why can’t they find funds for the local streets and roads the are in a disgraceful mess and need sorting.
By Anonymous
Lived in Eccles all my life & in 60’s & 70’s it was a thriving town where lots of people came to shop. Now, however, it is a ghost town, looks like war zone sometimes, Nowhere to buy decent clothes/shoes so you have to go to Trafford Centre where all shops sell same items, but at different prices. As for West One – what is point of this. I go to Crown Point, Denton, and they have loads of shops, even places to eat but here in Eccles there are not many exciting places to shop or eat. Why can’ t Eccles be great again or is it destined to be a concrete town forever. Need someone to put sparkle back but don’t think it will happen soon as the town has been like this for such a long time. Council & developers get a grip.
By Anonymous
Salford overpaid for the shopping centre. Is it not time for real world developers to get involved?
By Jennifer Eccles
We need a proper market we all love a good market that brings the crowds in.
By Anonymous
Ecccles is going to end up like Bradford at the end of the day just loads more flats
By Anonymous