Proposals for the first phase of a key development site as part of the town centre's masterplan are set to be given the green light.
Plans to construct 35 homes for older people on Townfield’s Close, a disused, council-owned brownfield site located within Pyramid Park will be scrutinised by the cabinet on Wednesday.
The triangle of space between Market Street and Knowsley Street was originally the market place and fairground that served the town.
With the arrival of the railways, a great section was hollowed out to create Knowsley Street Station and goods yards.
On the closure of the railway, this area was landscaped as Townside Fields, also known as Pyramid Park, because of the pyramid shaped mounds created as part of the landscape.
In December 2021, blueprints of how the site could look in the future along with Market Place, Bolton Street, Bury Armoury were released by the council.
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The fresh plans aims to respond to the growing need for affordable housing for those aged 65 and over.
The proposals, put forward by the cabinet member for housing services, Cllr Clare Cummins, and cabinet member for strategic growth and skills as well as council leader, Cllr Eamonn O’Brien, say the homes will facilitate delivery of "much needed- low carbon home for older people".
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A report prepared ahead of the meeting recommends for the plans to be signed off.
It states: “In November 2022, the council’s housing strategy identified Townfield’s Close site as a location for a 100 per cent affordable housing scheme for older people, owing to the shortage of high quality town centre provision.
“Based on previous assessments, the site has capacity for circa 35 homes depending on the mix of house types.
"The new development would offer a range of affordable tenures including social rent, affordable rent/shared ownership.”
The council has identified a growing need for bespoke housing for both for "active" older people looking to downsize and more frail older residents with additional care needs.
The plans also provide a response to the town’s growing population which is expected to rise by 5.6 per cent in the coming decade, from 191,841 in 2020 to 198,241 in 2030.
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The construction would facilitate the council’s "brownfield first" approach to housing delivery and will prioritise residents of existing sheltered housing schemes.
Six registered providers have been appointed to the current framework for the proposals, including Six Town Housing, Onward Homes and Great Places Housing Group.
It is expected that the new homes could generate some savings to the adult social care budget and could contribute to reduced revenue costs for maintaining and securing long-term disused sites.
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