A major development in Salford has led to the added bonus of £260m local economic benefit for Greater Manchester, including the delivery of dozens of community events.
The £1 billion development at Middlewood Locks, a 25-acre mixed-use neighbourhood between Salford and Manchester city centre, is being built by BCEGI in partnership with Scarborough Group International.
When completed, the 25-acre development will provide a total of 2,215 new homes and 900,000 sq ft of commercial space, including offices, hotel, shops, restaurants, and gym.
An independent report by RealWord shows that BCEGI created the equivalent of more than £260m local economic benefit for Greater Manchester during its involvement in phases one and two of Middlewood Locks. BCEGI is due to start work on phase three soon.
The social value figure is calculated based on BCEGI’s community and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities, added value by using local supply chains, labour and apprenticeships, and through engagement with local schools and colleges.
Dongwen YU, Lead Director at BCEGI BCEGI, said,
“As a construction partner we very much see ourselves as part of the community. This report shows Middlewood Locks is a project that is making a real difference to the lives of not only its residents, but the wider community too. It’s part of BCEGI’s commitment to working with clients and supply chains to create positive social outcomes by developing thriving communities and creating opportunities for local people.
“BCEGI wants to see Salford thrive as a city and we want to do our bit to support the local economy.”
The BCEGI team delivered 100 community-based activities, attended by more than 3000 local people, and created 82 new educational and training opportunities.
Volunteers from project teams and their supply chains dedicated 1,220 hours of their time to help on a range of CSR activities, including creating an ‘Easter Garden’ at St Clement’s Church in Ordsall; working with students at All Hallows Schools to provide advice and assistance on interview skill, CV writing and general employability advice, and providing training for single parents in energy saving.
The report also highlighted the £25,300 of donations, either through sponsorship, cash or materials provided, which have been given to local communities as part of the Middlewood Locks development so far. And it outlined that 76% of the social value created is associated with employment outcomes related to apprenticeships.
Kevin McCabe, Chairman at SGI, said,
““We are delighted to see such fantastic, tangible evidence of how Middlewood Locks has impacted on the local economy so far. These figures not only demonstrate our huge commitment to providing much needed new homes in the region but also the results of considerable time invested by us and our partners to impact on the local community in very positive ways.
“We are committed to this project for the long-term and, despite these uncertain economic times due to global events which are out of our control, we are forging ahead with our next phases of development. We are certainly on track to creating a highly sustainable new neighbourhood through economic contribution as well as biodiversity and lifestyle habits.”
Middlewood Locks has won numerous accolades, most recently at the 2022 Insider North West Residential Property Awards, winning the much-coveted Sustainability and Social Impact Award.