As the festive season enters full swing and we prepare to welcome 2026, it is the perfect time to pause and reflect on what has been a big year for us on site and in the community.
From the first spades in the ground to the travel hub’s steel frame rising into the skyline, 2025 has been the year the £100m+ vision for Prestwich’s village centre began turning into reality.
But beyond the construction site, it has also been a year defined by community spirit and local creativity. We love supporting what makes Prestwich so special!
Here is a look back at our key moments from the last 12 months, and a sneak peek at what’s to come in 2026.
The Travel Hub Takes Shape
The most visible change this year has undoubtedly been the rise of the new travel hub off Fairfax Road. We started the year with site preparations and groundworks and in the spring, we announced Vinci as our building partner. But it was in the summer that the landscape changed dramatically as the foundations were laid.
By the autumn, the site was a hive of activity. Our contractor, VINCI, successfully installed the main structural steel frame, bringing the building near to its full height – a milestone that many of you will have spotted while passing through the village.
In recent months, we have completed the steel frame, giving a real sense of the building’s scale. Work has also advanced at pace on the concrete flooring, masonry, and essential utility installations, alongside internal fire painting to uphold safety standards.
Major construction in a busy village centre isn’t easy, and the necessary road closures on Fairfax Road have required patience from everyone. We want to say a huge thank you to local residents and businesses for bearing with us as we deliver this important infrastructure safely and efficiently.
You can find out more about the road closure and see some Frequently Asked Questions here. Fairfax Road will be open over the festive period from 5pm on Wednesday 24th December until 7am on Friday 2nd January.
A Year of Community Spirit
Celebrating Local Creativity
The travel hub shows the physical regeneration taking shape, but the heart of Prestwich has always been about the people. Throughout 2025, we have been proud to get out and about, supporting local initiatives and celebrating what makes the village special!
One of our highlights was seeing the site hoardings transformed into an outdoor art gallery. Pupils from St Mary’s and Butterstile primary schools created stunning artwork inspired by what Prestwich means to them – from the historic Lady of Grace Church to our iconic yellow trams. It was wonderful to welcome the children and Cllr Lucy Smith to site earlier this year to officially unveil their masterpieces!
Supporting Local Events
For the third year running, we were proud sponsors of the Prestwich Carnival and the annual kids’ football tournament, continuing a proud tradition of handing out medals to the village’s young sporting stars.
Our commitment to the community also extended to helping local groups in practical ways. When VINCI heard the Prestwich Allotment Organisation needed storage, the team donated a spare site container rather than sending it for scrap.
We were also delighted to see VINCI Building supporting the vital work of Prestwich Met Street Eats. Noticing that the group was serving hot meals outdoors under the Met bridge in all weathers, VINCI offered the use of their site office canteen. This means the volunteers now have a warm, safe indoor space to serve food and drinks every Thursday evening – a practical example of how regeneration can bring immediate benefits to the community.
Through our partners we also had the privilege of supporting Our Lady of Grace Church, donating ceiling tiles for their hall refurbishment and using our specialist lifting equipment to carefully install the statue of Saint Gabriel on his new plinth – a perfect example of modern construction helping to preserve local history.
Looking to History
Inspiring the Future
There was a big surprise in April when we discovered a World War II bunker lurking beneath the travel hub site. Thought to be one of the only examples of such a shelter in Bury, it just goes to show that you’re never too far away from history.
Looking to the next generation of builders and engineers, our supply chain partners recently visited a local high school for a careers event. It was brilliant to see young people getting inspired by the regeneration happening right on their doorstep.
Looking Ahead to 2026
So, what does the new year hold for Your Prestwich?
The Next Steps for the Village
As we move through 2026, we will also be turning our attention to the next phase of Prestwich’s transformation. We are currently working hard behind the scenes on preparations for this next phase, which will include:
- Community Hub: A library and flexible community space that can be used for events, clubs, art and culture. This will be a modern, flexible and fit-for-purpose space, designed in collaboration with the council’s library team.
- New Village Square: Family-friendly social places for all the community to meet and relax. The square will be flexibly designed so it provides space for pop-up events like markets, food festivals, art exhibitions and live performances.
- Market Hall: Smaller, high-quality 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.
- Retail: Diverse, contemporary spaces within a revitalised centre will help complement the high street and provide future occupiers with real choice.
Stay tuned as we refine these plans, we’ll have a lot more to share soon!
Thank you to everyone who has engaged with us, asked questions, and followed the progress this year. We wish you all a restful festive break and a very Happy New Year.
Happy Holidays and see you in 2026!