‘Huge moment’ for Prestwich as £100m town centre redevelopment agreed

Members of the council’s planning control committee voted on Tuesday night to approve the proposal after hearing concerns from neighbours about concerns traffic and overshadowing.

The plans by Prestwich Regeneration LLP, the joint venture between developer Muse and the council, will create new shops, public spaces, a market hall and a "Mackie Mayor" style food court in the space vacated by a demolished Longfield centre.

There will also be community facilities and new homes at the site off Bury New Road.

There was some opposition to the plans, particularly the first phase of work which is due to start later this year to build a multi-storey car park and transport hub at the current Fairfax Road public car park.

A CGI of how Prestwich town centre is set to look under the plans

The planning committee meeting at Bury Town Hall heard from Isaac Jones, representing residents of Highfield Road, close to the car park site.

He said: “As a collective we are not fundamentally opposed to the redevelopment of Prestwich.

“We attended consultations and had our say on what we thought would be a faithful realisation of the potential of our home, Prestwich village.

“We have a proposal where the single largest land use is a multi-storey car park.

“The car park and wider development are not in keeping with the fabric of Prestwich.

“There is no proposed solution to traffic issues.

“Fairfax Road cannot cope with additional pressure from a sole entry and exit point, gridlock will be guaranteed.

“There will be loss of sunlight and overshadowing from houses on Highfield Road.

“Muse has failed to provide solutions to traffic and overshadowing issues while delivering an unsuccessful development more suited to a city centre.”

Councillors heard that congestion around Fairfax Road would be mitigated by the promotion of active travel throughout the whole scheme and a survey would be done of the Fairfax Road junction which would include capacity issues.

The committee voted to approve the scheme.

Following the decision, council leader Eamonn O’Brien said: “These are truly transformative plans which will reshape Prestwich village – from new housing to shops, leisure facilities and a better living environment.

“Regeneration of our town centres is a crucial part of ensuring that the whole of our borough can prosper and thrive for many generations to come, and we’re looking forward to working with our partners to bring the new Prestwich to life.”

Joe Stockton at Muse, said: “This is a huge moment for Prestwich.

"The overhaul of the Longfield Centre will create a new beating heart for the village packed with community facilities, spaces for local businesses to thrive, and much-needed new homes.

“Working together we’ve created a new village centre that everyone can be proud of and that will cement Prestwich as one of the best places to live for decades to come.”

The proposals underwent further changes in April this year, with the inclusion of more parking spaces in the travel hub, which contains up to 300 car parking spaces as well as EV charging points and cycle storage.

The travel hub will be built first with an anticipated to start on site later this year. The final plans approved by the council include:

· A community hub including a library and flexible community space that can be used for events, clubs and art and culture. The building will also offer an opportunity to deliver a new Prestwich Health Centre, with discussions ongoing with the NHS and local GP practices.

· A new village square with family-friendly social places for all the community to meet and relax, which has been flexibly designed so it provides space for pop-up events like markets, food festivals, art exhibitions and live performances.

· A market hall providing smaller spaces for local retailers to thrive and grow. This includes a food hall for local food operators and communal seating that spills out onto the village square.

· Flexible retail and leisure spaces across the site, which will complement the high street and help to cater for Prestwich’s diverse business community. This includes a new gym.

· Landscaped outdoor and green spaces, trees and places to wander, relax and sit. The existing fountain will be removed and new public art installations will be incorporated throughout the development.

· Enhancing the Prestwich arrival experience from the tram by delivering landscaping which connects with the new public spaces in the village.

· Relocating car parking in the centre of the site to a new travel hub off Fairfax Road, which will contain electric vehicle charging points, cycle storage and parcel lockers.

· Around 200 new homes, which forms part of the outline application, is envisaged will include a mix from affordable homes to homes for first-time buyers, growing families and downsizers. The design, materials and style will follow in a future detailed planning application.