The story so far
In July 2024, Bury Council’s Planning Control Committee gave the green light to our ambitious plans for Prestwich, including a new library, retail units, a market hall, community spaces, attractive green public areas, a travel hub and new homes.
The regeneration is already taking shape. Phase 1 is well underway, with construction of the new £14 million travel hub progressing and on track for completion in summer 2026.
Your Prestwich has now secured £6.8 million from the Greater Manchester Good Growth Fund, which means that the next phase can move forward. We’re now currently preparing a planning application for phase 2, building on the outline planning consent we have in place.
To pave the way for the next phase of the village’s regeneration, we’re planning to start demolition of the Longfield Centre early in 2026. This will see the library temporarily relocated to the Phoenix Centre in St Mary’s Park. This will ensure that residents continue to benefit from library services during the transition period.
Demolition will take place in two phases – first the building that includes the library, followed by the remaining retail units in the other Longfield Centre buildings. The programme of works to adapt the Phoenix Centre is currently being finalised, and the dates for temporary closure and reopening will be confirmed soon.
Masterplan
Since the outline plans were approved, we’ve been refining the masterplan to make the most of the site.
The masterplan has been shaped using feedback from the local community on what you want to see for Prestwich in the future.
The plans include:
The plans in
detail
As we prepare our planning application for Phase 2, we’ve been fine-tuning the details. Here’s a summary of the updates since we received outline planning permission in 2024.
New Homes
We’ve increased the number of homes to 248 by merging two of the buildings, but keeping them the same height and retaining pedestrian links.
Community Hub
The community hub will feature a larger library with flexible community spaces and independent leisure and retail businesses located on the ground floor.
Strong Connections
We’re maintaining and improving a strong connection to public transport offers, such as the tram stop and local bus links, to provide a warm welcome to the village.
Health Centre
We’ve been working closely with our NHS partners to help shape a joint service offer across Prestwich that will deliver modern, fit for the future health facilities. Whilst this part of the project is still in development, there will be no change to existing service provision and patients will be able to benefit from the wider improvements. Redevelopment of the NHS site will be delivered at a time that works best for them.
Green Space
Plenty of green spaces, trees and places to wander, relax and sit across the village centre.
Phase 1:
Travel Hub
2024-2026
Construction of the new travel hub is progressing well with completion expected in summer 2026. This first phase will replace the existing car park off Fairfax Road and will provide over 301 parking spaces, including electric vehicle charging points and accessible bays, alongside extensive cycle storage.
