A place
For all

The masterplan for Prestwich will regenerate the Longfield Centre site.

Masterplan overview map

Ground floor layout

Proposed Village Square and Market Hall

The masterplan has been shaped using feedback from the local community on what you want to see for Prestwich in the future. Visit the HAVE YOUR SAY page for more on how we’ve responded to your views.

The plans include:

Community
Hub

A new library will be located in the building, alongside a flexible community space that can be used for events, clubs and art and culture. We are also having positive discussions with the NHS and local GP practices about relocating health and GP services within the building.

Spaces for
businesses

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

Market
Hall

A new Market Hall is proposed to provide 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.

Village
square

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

A people-first
place

To prioritise pedestrians, we have located car parking out of the village core within a new multi-storey travel hub off Fairfax Road, containing around 350 spaces, with electric vehicle charging points and cycle storage. By locating the travel hub off Fairfax Road, this will help to reduce traffic along Rectory Lane and provide more space for pedestrians and cyclists.

Homes
for all

The later phases of the masterplan include around 200 new homes, which we envisage will be a mix of apartment sizes for affordable homes, first-time buyers, growing families and downsizers.

Outdoor and
green spaces

Plenty of green spaces, trees and places to wander, relax and sit are proposed across the masterplan. The existing fountain will be removed with plans to incorporate new public art throughout the development. There will also be rain gardens, which will act as sustainable urban drains.

Phase 1a:
Travel Hub
2024-2026

 
The first phase of the regeneration includes a new multi-storey travel hub off Fairfax Road, which will replace the existing car park.

See the plans

Phase 1b:
Community Hub, Retail & Village Square

Early next year, we will start preparing for the Longfield Centre’s demolition, which will make way for the community hub, new retail spaces, the market hall and the new village square.

Retail

We will be creating 2,950 sq. m of modern ground floor retail spaces for a variety of uses, which is a similar amount as the existing ground floor retail space in the Longfield Centre. Providing diverse, contemporary spaces within a revitalised centre will help complement the high street and provide future occupiers with real choice.

Market Hall

Providing 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.

Village square and outdoor spaces

Including family-friendly social places for all the community to meet and relax. The square (the size of around four standard swimming pools) has been flexibly designed so it provides space for pop-up events like markets, food festivals, art exhibitions and live performances. The existing fountain will be removed and new public art installations will be incorporated throughout the development. The arrival experience into Prestwich by tram will also be enhanced, with landscaping that connects with green spaces in the village.

Community Hub

Including 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.

Proposed Market Hall

Phase 2:
Homes

The second phase will include up to 200 high-quality new apartments for the village through a mix of sizes. These include:

Affordable
Homes*

First-time
buyers

Growing
families

Downsizers

*Affordable Homes – through a mix of tenures and sizes

All the new homes will be designed to be highly sustainable and energy efficient and also complement the architectural character of the village.

More details about the size, design, materials and style will all follow at a later date in a detailed planning application – known as a Reserved Matters Application, which we hope to submit in 2026.

Two people chatting at a restaurant