Planning Case Study 131
Adelphi Street, Salford
Planning scenario(s)
Heritage assets affected
Non-designated heritage assets with archaeological and historic interest
Type of application & broad category
Local planning authority
Authority: Salford City Council
References: 06/53224/FUL; 14/65820/FUL
Development proposal
06/53224/FUL: Construction of a mixed-use development comprising four ground floor commercial units, a total of 220 residential units within a 22 storey block and accompanied by associated landscaped piazza and basement car parking, land west of Adelphi Street and south of Trinity Riverside, Salford.
14/65820/FUL: Erection of buildings (up to 8 storeys in height) to provide 206 apartments, communal gymnasium, undercroft car parking and associated access and landscaping, land west of Adelphi Street and south of Trinity Riverside, Salford.
Archaeological information known about the site before the planning application was made, or before the development commenced, as appropriate
06/53224/FUL: Remains of former 18th and 19th century dyeworks and associated workers’ housing.
14/65820/FUL: Remains of 18th century Bank Mill (in addition to above).
Archaeological/planning processes
The planning application in 2006 was supported by a desk-based assessment and was granted planning permission in 2007 with a staged pre- commencement archaeological condition. Building recording, evaluation and selected excavation of two areas (an area of workers housing and an area of the dyeworks) took place in 2007 and 2008.
A post-excavation assessment report was produced in 2008. The most significant artefacts from the excavation were a deposit of around 5000 fragments of clay pipes comprising waste and kiln furniture which had been dumped within the shared toilet block for workers’ housing. The assemblage was dated to c.1810 and had been produced at an identified kiln site which, together with its large size, meant that it was considered to be of regional significance and potentially of national significance. This deposit was therefore considered to be a priority for detailed analysis and publication.
However, the developer was hit by the recession and went bankrupt before resources for analysis and publication could be secured. No further progress was therefore possible with the programme of analysis and publication.
In 2014 a different developer came forward with a new scheme (see above 14/65820) and, because the condition had not been discharged, it was possible for the archaeological advisors to the LPA to recommend that the detailed clay pipe report be finished and published before the old condition could be fully discharged. This was agreed by the LPA and the author of the post-excavation assessment of the clay pipe assemblagewas commissioned to complete the analysis and report. This has now been completed and an addendum report to the main excavation report has been prepared for publication in Post Medieval Archaeology.
Outcomes: archaeological
The archaeological condition will be recommended to be discharged when final proof of intent to publish is provided by the developer.
The 2014 application was granted permission in 2015 and a desk-based assessment was also produced in 2015.
Other outcomes/outputs e.g. other public benefit such as public engagement, research and new/changed work practices
The archaeology was reported on and the results have also been summarised in a Greater Manchester’s Past Revealed booklet focusing on another site in Salford’s historic core.
References and links/bibliography
- West Yorkshire Archaeology Service 2015, Adelphi Street, Salford, Greater Manchester: archaeological desk-based assessment. Unpublished report no. 2791.
- Gregory, R. & Miller, I 2015, Greengate: the archaeology of Salford’s Historic Core, Greater Manchester’s Past Revealed 13.
- Oxford Archaeology North 2008, Adelphi Street, Salford, Greater Manchester: Archaeological Building Survey and Excavation. Unpublished report, Oxford Archaeology North L9855.
- Wardell Armstrong 2006, Land at Adelphi Street, Salford, Greater Manchester: archaeological desk-based assessment. Unpublished report.
