Central Salford will undergo major changes

It is hoped that two decades of intensive regeneration work will transform the central part of the city.

The international team of architects and designers working on the blueprint said it was all about emphasising the area's green spaces.

The Central Salford Urban Regeneration Company launched the plans on Thursday.

It said Salford would be transformed into a place characterised by waterside vistas, high quality green public spaces, pedestrian friendly streets, rejuvenated heritage buildings and modern architectural gems.

SALFORD FACTS There are 30 miles of rivers and canals, 6 waterways and 112 ponds and lakes Sixty per cent of the city is green space The work will focus on the wards of Kersal, Broughton, Irwell, Ordsall, Langworthy, Claremont, Weaste and Seedley The plans will be available online at http://www.centralsalford.com/

Architect Massimiliano Fuksas, a member of the team involved in the project, said: "Regeneration of the city represents one of the real great challenges for the architect today and it is time to activate the great potential that Salford has.

"By 2025 Salford will have undergone a magnificent metamorphosis.

"Green boulevards will link the northern, southern and western parts of Salford, along a succession of high quality urban squares and green spaces, to the buzzing regional centre."

There are more than 20 Urban Regeneration Companies (URC) in the UK. They are organisations which co-ordinate investment plans from both the public and the private sectors.

A new national marketing campaign promoting Salford was launched last month aiming to dispel the negative industrial and high-crime image of Manchester's neighbouring city.