Bruntwood and Bury get ball rolling on Mill Gate overhaul
The council bought the 15-acre town centre site earlier this year and, along with its development partner, is now seeking feedback from residents to guide the regeneration project.
Bruntwood and Bury have entered into a joint venture to redevelop Mill Gate Shopping Centre, part of a wider town centre masterplan.
The JV will hold a consultation drop-in session tomorrow in Schorndorf Square between 11am and 3pm where residents can have their say on what the future of the asset should look like.
“We know that great plans for the town centre start with the community,” said Andrea George, director of town centres at Bruntwood.
“Our approach is always to ensure that the residents play a key role in helping us shape our plans, and this event is the first step in that process. We want to hear from everyone – it’s a chance for the community to meet us, talk about their views and thoughts for the future of Mill Gate, and how it fits into their vision for the future of Bury town centre.”
Bruntwood is working on a similar project with Trafford Council, where the developer is leading the transformation of Stretford Mall. The first phase of that scheme, which has featured extensive public consultation, was approved last week.
The redevelopment of Mill Gate is a “once in a generation” project and will feature new housing, employment, retail and hospitality opportunities, along with new health and education facilities, according to council leader Eamonn O’Brien.
The Mill Gate scheme forms part of a wider town centre redevelopment strategy that was signed off earlier this month.
Other elements of the masterplan include:
- A new Bury Market flexi-hall
- A new centre for health innovation and related technologies at Bury College
- A hotel on the site of the former fire station
- Phase two of the Chamberhall industrial site.
O’Brien added: “Our plans for the Mill Gate centre will complement initiatives for a new flexi-hall on Bury Market and improvements in the wider area, plus a new transport interchange, aimed at future-proofing the town centre against the challenges posed by the changing retail landscape.”
Bury bought the centre from InfraRed Capital earlier this year with a loan from the PWLB, having identified the site as “the most important area of intervention” within Bury’s town centre masterplan.
InfraRed bought Mill Gate from Aberdeen Asset Management in 2014 for £52m. Since then, an additional £20m has been invested in the complex.
Bury is taking a similarly proactive approach to regeneration elsewhere in the borough.
The council has entered a joint venture with Muse Developments for the overhaul of the Longfield Centre in Prestwich.
I would reinstate the Victorian streetscape it once had and do something high density and modern in the core.
By 1981
They could turn Bury into a thriving Manchester offshoot ,if they get this right. The Metrolink is minutes from this on foot and the retail offering is not bad. The hospitality offering though is pretty dated at the moment and needs something a bit more imaginative to stop the exodus to Prestwich for a younger crowd. The market, must not turn into a classic British fixing something which isn’t broken scenario, as it currently works well and is thriving. Millgate is very dated now. I agree with the Victorian streetscape idea but done with decent townhouses.
By Elephant
I would look at generating some money by offering more events and activities -Ramsbottom has a chocolate event that generates thousands of people entering the town. Bury could hold something similar. An ice skating rink for Christmas, open a roller skating rink permanently, we have enough empty spaces. More Christmas Craft markets, pop up bars like Manchester have selling Christmas drinks. Small type fairs with rides for the smaller children. More games rooms for teenagers. We have an excellent Museum, Arts Centre, Fusiliers – could hold more story times places and have interaction with the general public at what the Fusiliers do. You could work with the local cinema and when new films come in create and event around it, meet and greet, ie the new Barbie Film. You could put on fashion shows every quarter and get the shops involved. As stated below our market is thriving and does really well, it would be nice if we could attract more boutique type shops into the Millgate.
By Debbie