Salford – innovation, creativity and community-led regeneration

From the historic heart of the city to the cutting-edge creative, digital, and tech sectors at MediaCityUK, Salford is constantly evolving, making regeneration, housing and health efforts vital to shape a city that is healthier, fairer and more inclusive.

As one of the fastest growing places in the North of England, Salford City Council’s work to make the city an amazing place for all the people that live and work in Salford lies at the heart of its remarkable story of transformation.

Which is why Salford City Mayor, Paul Dennett, is honoured to host this year’s Healthy City Design 2025 International Congress at Lowry, a cultural landmark that reflects the city’s creative spirit and dedication to public engagement.

Taking place in MediaCity, Salford, 14-15 October, the Congress is an international forum that will exchange knowledge on how innovation to promote health in housing, urban planning, real estate, workplace, transport and mobility, healthcare, education and other key sectors, can underpin economic growth and social cohesion.

Paul Dennett, City Mayor of Salford will open the Housing, Health and Happiness session, highlighting that:

“In Salford, we understand that health is not just shaped in hospitals or clinics, but in homes, streets, parks, and communities. But regeneration in Salford is not about gentrification or displacement. It’s about creating places where people can live well; with access to decent housing, green space, good jobs, and strong communities.”

Stephen Young, Chief Executive of Salford City Council will also join the Congress, speaking at the Opening plenary ‘Community-led regeneration: Salford’s next century’.

Salford City Mayor, Paul Dennett said: 

“Salford is a city on the rise, and the theme of this year’s event resonates deeply with our own journey and vision. Our progress and our potential make us uniquely positioned to lead the way with our commitment to creating a fairer, greener, healthier and more inclusive city for all.

“We have championed community-led health initiatives, prioritised the supply of decent and genuinely affordable housing in the city, embraced bold urban planning and invested in green infrastructure that put people at the heart of decision-making. Salford’s story is not just one of success, it’s also one of resilience.”

To achieve the council’s vision, in 2024 seven interconnected priorities were set as the focus for Salford City Council’s corporate plan ‘This is our Salford’, which aims to build on past successes and continue to find new and innovative ways to improve residents’ lives:

•    Good growth
•    A good home for all
•    Tackling poverty and inequality
•    Creating places where people want to live
•    A child friendly city
•    Responding to climate change
•    Healthy lives and quality of care for all

Bringing together researchers, policymakers, practitioners, developers, investors and community voices to share findings, this year’s Congress theme, ‘Transitions to health: Impact through policy, planning and investment’, has been produced by SALUS Global Knowledge Exchange, in collaboration with the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design at the Royal College of Art, Salford City Council and MediaCity.

The event also includes the Healthy City Design Awards, which celebrate innovative projects and research that positively impact the health of urban populations.

Find out more at on the conference website.