Mosscare plots Salford homeless facility 

The housing association has agreed terms with the city council to acquire a vacant site on St Simon Street in Lower Broughton and redevelop it into a 42-apartment supported living scheme.

Located on the banks of the River Irwell next to the Riverside House student accommodation complex, the site is a former council depot previously used in connection with Blackfriars Housing Office. 

Having been vacant for more than a decade, Mosscare St Vincent’s Housing Group approached Salford City Council with a view to buying the site.

The developer’s scheme would comprise 40 one-bedroom apartments and two properties with two-bedrooms.

The one-bedroom apartments would be made available on a temporary basis to homeless people in need of accommodation and access to medium or low-level support. 

Under the terms of the sale, Salford City Council is to “retain the ability to lease the two-bedroom family apartments to accommodate those who require emergency housing”, according to a council report. 

Charity Mustard Tree is to occupy the ground floor commercial space and will provide support to residents through its Freedom Project, a 20-week course aimed at equipping people with the skills required to get a job. 

The land sale is dependent on the approval of a planning application for the construction of the accommodation block, but the proposals have yet to be submitted to Salford City Council. 

In 2014 the council agreed to dispose of the site to the owner of the adjacent student accommodation development and, in March 2016, planning consent was granted for a mix of student facilities and apartments for private sale.  

However, the sale did not complete due to viability constraints.