25-storey residential block in Eccles town centre approved

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

A resident objecting to plans for a £50million block of apartments in Eccles town centre has accused councillors who approved the scheme of 'having pound signs in their eyes'. The 25-storey block of apartments is to be built for rent on the footprint of the former Vauxhall dealership on the corner plot between Peel Street and Albert Street.

The derelict former car showroom now will be demolished to make way for the 256-home development which also includes six townhouses. The application from Silverlane Developments (NW) Ltd was approved in the face of more than 20 objections from nearby residents. including Szuhel Lee.

IT consultant Mr Lee, 49, voiced his objections to the scheme at Salford's planning and transportation regulatory panel yesterday (Thursday, October 6). The scheme is the second to be approved in the heart of Eccles in the last three years. Another scheme - also valued at £50m - was approved for nearby Church Street in 2019 and work is now underway on that site.

READ MORE:Peter Kay has been performing 'top secret' comedy shows in Salford this week

However, Mr Lee told councillors there was 'no green space' in the Eccles area for local people and he said the other residents wanted the site converted to open land. Coun Mike McCusker, who represents the Eccles ward, said: "We've all seen what's happened to town centres throughout the country as a result of changing shopping habits and [in the case of Eccles the impact of the Trafford Centre.

"The potential that Eccles town centre has is no secret. There stands to be an extra 500 homes, if you include the Church Street development, and that's a game changer."

And he hailed the town's transport links saying: "It has access to trams, trains and it's right next