Homes plan for crumbling Buile Hill
A DEVELOPER wants to build 60 homes to fund the refurbishment of a crumbling mansion.
Tim Heatley, of Capital and Centric, wants to create housing in the disused depot and banquet parts of Buile Hill park in Salford. He says it is the only way to finance the regeneration of the building which has lain empty for some two decades.
He says he will walk away from the project if locals reject his vision.
Under the plans laid out in a community meeting, the mansion’s ground floor could include a cafe-bar area, a gallery, a space for community use and a wedding venue.
The upper floors would be managed by the Salford Red Devils Foundation. Earlier this year, city mayor Paul Dennett ruled out private homes being erected in the park after some residents opposed the idea. Mr Heatley confirmed that there would be no private homes.
But he said that housing – which could include affordable homes, extra care facilities, privatelyrented homes or houses for key workers – was the only feasible option.
Other options, such as a hotel or artists’ studios, would not be viable. He said that the houses would be small ‘beautifully-designed spaces’ with ‘high quality architecture.’
He said wanted to create a ‘Center Parcs-ish’ feel. “I want it to feel rural and parkish,” he added.
He did not say how many houses could be included but the slides shown indicated up to 60 homes. Mary Ferrer - one of the residents who had opposed the building of homes on the park – said backing Capital and Centric was the community’s ‘last-ditch attempt.’ She said: “Who else is going to come onboard?” But she said she’d want to see a guarantee that the rest of the land in the park – which would remain under the ownership of Salford council – would be protected from future development.
Beryl Patten, who also attended the meeting, said that development on up to four acres of the park – which itself is more than 80 acres – was worth it to save the mansion and revitalise the park.