A huge moment for Prestwich

A £100m overhaul of the Longfield Centre site in Prestwich - into ‘a new beating heart for the village’ - has been approved by Bury council. Members of the town hall's planning control committee voted on Tuesday evening (July 23) 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 Bury 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. The 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.

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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