Bury ramps up regen programme after decade-long lull
“Bury is building again” – that was the message from council Leader Cllr Eamonn O’Brien at a regeneration exposition held in Ramsbottom last week.
The leader said that Bury had not built on the momentum of The Rock retail development, the borough’s last large-scale regeneration project, which completed in 2010.
“If we are being honest, we haven’t done enough in [the last] decade but we have changed our attitude to how we go about developing a better Bury. We have more skin in the game in terms of taking risk.
“Bury is building again. We can be proud of the past but try to double and triple down on what we can deliver in the future.”
Thursday’s regeneration expo saw Bury Council and its private sector partners – as well as Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham – come together to present their plans for the borough to local business leaders.
It was a chance for the council and developers Muse, Bruntwood, Harworth, and Russells, to show off the projects it has been working on for the last few years and update on their progress.
A £40m civic hub in Radcliffe, a mixed-use overhaul of the Longford Centre in Prestwich, a redeveloped Mill Gate Shopping Centre, and a modernised transport interchange in Bury are among the schemes in line to transform the borough’s towns.
Meanwhile, Atom Valley, a 17m sq ft advanced materials “mega cluster” is planned for land in the M62 corridor.
“For one night only, Ramsbottom is the MIPIM of Bury,” O’Brien joked.
Large parts of Mill Gate will be demolished under plans drawn up by Bruntwood and the council. Credit: via draft SRF
Bury’s strong fundamentals make it an attractive prospect to developers, according to Chris Roberts, development director at Bruntwood.
“We refer to Bury as the regional capital of the North of Greater Manchester,” he said.
Roberts added that Bury is in a good position to benefit from the success of Manchester city centre, where rising rents are forcing people to look further afield.
Burnham is also bullish about Bury’s future. He drew comparisons with Stockport, which will soon open a revamped transport hub similar to the one planned in Bury, and is in the midst of a town centre residential boom.
“Together we can create something really exciting that goes beyond that Stockport model,” Burnham said.
He added that Atom Valley would provide “a level of prosperity for the North of Greater Manchester that we have not seen since the middle part of the last century”.
Bury is the smallest of Greater Manchester’s 10 boroughs and, like all local authorities, continues to grapple with a lack of funding and resources.
These factors, the leader believes, should not stand in the way of development-driven progress.
“Despite market challenges, we want to show that we can deliver not just for the sake of it but with purpose,” he said.
“We are small compared to our neighbours in terms of population but big on ambition.”
Bury secured £20m of the funding required for the Radcliffe scheme from the Levelling Up Fund. Credit: via planning documents
Great to see that investment and regeneration is not just centred on South Manchester. Transport links to Atom Valley will be crucial to its success, I assume this is being factored into the planning.
By Anonymous
As a Ramsbottom resident and a member of the NW development industry with very close ties to development initiatives in the Borough this ‘exposition’ was Bury’s best kept secret.
By Anonymous
Not quite a Bury resident but a neighbour in Bolton and as a GM developer a great interest in where Bury is going so it’s great to see Bury in the news and I’m sure it was a great event. However reading the last comment, and a few on Social Media, shame no-one seemed know about it !
By Anonymous
As long as it’s just the actual Mill Gate and not some of the surrounding buildings. There’s some really interesting architecture in Bury. Also, those CGIs are really generic, let’s hope the final buildings are more interesting.
By Heritage Action
What about Whitefield?
A town that’s only made up of predominantly bars, restaurants, gyms (with a 3rd being planned) and a supermarket.
Other than that, practically nothing else.
And almost zero spent in the last 20 years.
But of course, there’s plans afoot to do so much more. I say this sarcastically.
It’s nothing like the millions spent on Prestwich over the last decade, and for what’s else is to come.
And £40m for a civic centre in Radcliffe, plus other projects.
But Whitefield gets more cycle lanes and traffic calming measures.
Probably spent more on consultancy work than the cost of actual regeneration.
Whitefield is just a run through for the commute to the motorway and beyond.
By Anonymous
Hi Anonymous, you can read about plans for Whitefield here – https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/bury-outlines-town-of-hearts-regen-for-whitefield/
By Dan Whelan
Try looking after what you already have councillor o Brian ie Bury indoor market, before you look at regeneration
By Stephen moloney
It is an interesting juxtaposition to hail the development of a nearby industrial park, while simultaneously progressing schemes that eliminate motor transport, such as the withdrawal of car parking in Prestwich, and a scheme in Whitefield that positions Bury New Road as an existential threat. Perhaps I am naive to think personnel would need to travel there – probably they will build some rows of terraces on site like the good old days.
By Anonymous
Great idea about redeveloping of Prestwich but bury council and developers needs to look very closely at the roads around Prestwich and near the proposed development. Prestwich is congested now before the regeneration starts. This information is not been taken seriously by bury council and muse. Interesting we know a traffic survey has been completed but residents have not seen a copy that has already been submitted with the planning application on the 19th January 2024. It would have been nice to see you the traffic survey as promised by muse and bury council.
By Anonymous
Prestwich needs a clean up and investment in pavements as well as the Longfield regeneration. This regeneration has been talked about for ages why does it take so long to come to fruition.
By Anonymous
I will believe the above when I see it. All the towns in Bury have gone down hill since Bury took over
By Patty
So the Millgate is being demolished. This is a covered shopping area and is a very good shopping area when the weather is inclement.
Notwithstandiing this a lot of the large anchor shops have moved elsewhere.
Bury Market needs retaining with a makeover. Presumably we will have a market hall like Altrincham.
The Rock, an outside high rise development is like a wind tunnel and not a place to shop when windy and raining. In my opinion a very poor design with no thought to the shoppers we have in Bury. I would go so far as to say it is an unmitigated disaster. We don’t get Spanish weather in Bury.
Suggest the proposed plans for Bury Town Centre are relaunched for local people’s input, comment and review.
We look forward to further open exhibitions to see the proposals.
By Anonymous
I agree, it’s good to see investment right across Manchester not just the usual suspects like the city centre , Media city and Trafford City. More and better transport will help ie expansion of the tram system to become a true metro although Bury doesn’t do too bad in that regard. A big ask given the Government though…any Government.
By Anonymous
Hey ho. Radcliffe town centre being torn apart and rebuilt. Wonderful but possibly too much too late. Civic Centre, Police Station, Banks, Old sports centre and most importantly the High Schools. See young ones at 7 o’clock, in morning, waiting for buses to take them to school. I know for fact, several year ago, Tottington High School canvassed in Radcliffe Primary Schools to get kids to go there, as not enough in Tottington to fill. Radcliffe full of history. When a Lancashire town, Little Lever and Ainsworth were part of it . Just saying
By Philip Rushmere
Bury is luckier than Oldham, Rochdale and Bolton because its southern suburbs which border Manchester are prosperous and sought after. It however treats these areas poorly. Prestwich, and Whitefield have million pound houses next to grotty badly maintained high streets.
By Elephant
Have never really understood the determination to take the roof off Millgate. Voids are generally in the bit nearest the Market that’s already open air, and being undercover is a positive reason to go there when the weather isn’t great, which is the case more often than not.
It could do with a better connection to The Rock, but that was for Bury Council to insist when it was being planned.
Seems more like the priority is to clear the site for more of the small flats that loom over The Rock rather than improve the retail offer.
By Anonymous
Before spending vast amounts on town centre projects, address the issues with pot holes, blocked drains, cracked and dangerous pavements, road markings completely worn away, piles of rotting leaves creating hazardous conditions for elderly residents, a parking permit scheme that creams residents of £30 annually when not enforced by wardens. After addressing the basics then maybe, if there’s any money left, you can concentrate on your hairbrained schemes. Bury Council is a disgrace and not fit for purpose.
By Disgruntled of Bury
@February 06, 2024 at 2:08 pm By Anonymous
I think you’ll find Bruntwood/ Bury Council have run a series of consultation events and have very actively set out to obtain the views of local people to inform their Millgate proposals. I’m a Bury resident and have received around 3 emails in the last 6 months containing either an update or request for feedback and I’m aware of 2 consultation events. If you’re quick to complain maybe you should adjust your time and effort and get involved. Personally, though I agree that the Millgate could be a nice space if improved and offers covered areas and seating suitable for families and the elderly, it is also a maze and negatively impacts pedestrian permeability through the town centre. I look forward to seeing what Bruntwood come up with and if it’s anything like what is planned for Stretford I’m sure it will be great for the town.
By Anonymous