Salford City Council has given unanimous backing to the RHS’s proposals to develop their fifth national garden in Salford.
At the full council meeting, City Mayor Ian Stewart said councillors were voting for Salford to become the green heart of the Manchester City Region and for a project which was as much of a ‘gamechanger’ as developing Salford Quays and MediaCityUK had been for the city.
And he said the prestigious links with the RHS, which is renowned nationally and internationally, could generate other investment in the city to boost Salford’s growth.
Mr Stewart said: “Without our support for the garden it will not happen. For every single pound we invest in this we will see several pounds come back into our city. This is capital investment – not money which can be spent on front line services.”
Councillors backed the proposal which will underpin the delivery of the garden alongside RHS’ investment of £25 million over the next decade.
Salford City Council will invest £3 million per year of capital funds over the next three years (£9 million in total) to secure the 999 year lease with £5 million ‘in-kind’ budgeted to support work with the RHS to get local people and community groups involved.
A further £5 million from the Highways Capital Programme will go towards delivery of highway infrastructure works including new road improvements which will also benefit the wider city. This will be phased over five years starting in 2016/17, with other highways funding being sought locally, regionally and nationally.
The City Mayor also said RHS Garden Bridgewater will bring life to the Northern Powerhouse and bring new jobs, training, educational and volunteering opportunities as well as potential for further investment in support facilities.
RHS Garden Bridgewater will support up to 400 jobs among local businesses and suppliers, is expected to generate up to £24 million for the local economy and create up to 200 direct jobs after it opens.
The latest tourism figures* show tourism in Salford is booming and at a record high. Last year saw a 7.6% increase in visitor spend in Salford, taking it to £585 million per year with visitor figures reaching 7.4 million – an increase of 4.6% on 2013.
Nick Brooks-Sykes, director of tourism at Marketing Manchester, said: “RHS Garden Bridgewater will be a major tourism attraction for Greater Manchester, adding to Salford’s burgeoning leisure offer.
“The RHS, Salford City Council and Peel Land and Property have ambitions to see the garden open as a major visitor attraction and be a major contributor to tourism growth in Greater Manchester. Marketing Manchester is looking forward to being involved in its development as the garden progresses towards opening in 2019.”
The new 156 acre garden is the largest investment ever made by the RHS and forms part of their wider ten year £160 million investment programme into its gardens nationally.
The announcement of the RHS Bridgewater Garden in Salford comes in a year when the RHS has enjoyed record visits to its four other national gardens and RHS as an organisation of international renown has achieved its highest membership in its 211 year history at 445,000 people.
