Vinci picked for Prestwich regen
Partners Muse and Bury Council have selected the contractor for the £100m redevelopment of the Longfield Centre, beginning with a multi-storey car park.
Sign-off was granted last summer for the regeneration of Prestwich village’s centre.
Starting with the project’s Travel Hub, Vinci Building will be taking the baton from Chroma Consulting, which led the project in its early phases, including surveys and ground investigations.
This initial project will deliver 301 parking spaces, including electric vehicle charging points, cycle storage and a car club. It will replace the Fairfax Road car park, which closed when enabling works began last December.
Delivered by Prestwich Regeneration LLP – the joint venture between developer Muse and Bury Council – it is all part of the plans to overhaul the dated Longfield Centre site, revitalising Prestwich Village with shops, community facilities, public green spaces and much-needed new homes.
Vinci has become a trusted partner of Muse, working with the developer on Blackpool’s Talbot Gateway, and on projects by ECF, of which Muse is a JV partner, in St Helens and Stockport.
Richard Kelly, project director at Muse, said: “This is a really exciting time for Prestwich and the ongoing regeneration of the Longfield Centre. Having started the initial works last year, we’re really looking forward to getting stuck into the Travel Hub’s main construction and starting to see the long-awaited regeneration come to life.
“2025 is a big year for us, alongside the construction of the Travel Hub, we’ll be looking to submit a further application later this year which will provide more detail on the design of the homes.”
Cllr Eamonn O’Brien, Leader of Bury Council, said: “We are thrilled to announce the next stage in this multi-million pound transformational regeneration scheme, which marks a significant step towards revitalising the heart of Prestwich Village and creating a vibrant, sustainable future for all.
“As well as enhancing local infrastructure our ambitious plans will foster economic growth and improve the quality of life for the whole community.”
Work on the car park is expected to last into 2026. Once completed, subsequent phases will be able to start, with the existing Longfield Centre surface car park then able to be used to facilitate the delivery of the village masterplan. Full planning permission for all of phase one was approved in July 2024.
Temporary closures to Fairfax Road are expected later this year during the Travel Hub’s construction. Further details will be announced ahead of the works.
The regeneration plans underwent two rounds of consultation, with changes including the provision of live event spaces as well as a market hall, more community and green spaces, and more parking spaces.
The plans approved by Bury Council in July 2024 include:
- A community hub including a library and flexible community space. The building will also offer an opportunity to deliver a new Prestwich Health Centre, with discussions ongoing with the NHS and local GP practices.
- A new village square with family-friendly social places, flexibly designed so it provides space for pop-up events such as markets, food festivals, art exhibitions and live performances.
- A market hall providing smaller spaces for local retailers. This includes a food hall for local food operators and communal seating that spills out onto the village square.
- Flexible retail and leisure spaces to complement the high street and help to cater for the business community. This is likely to include a new gym.
- Landscaped outdoor and green spaces. The existing fountain will be removed, with new public art installations incorporated throughout the site.
- Enhancing the Prestwich arrival experience from the tram by delivering landscaping which connects with green spaces in the village.
- Relocating car parking in the centre of the site to the new car park.
- More than 200 new homes, which form part of the outline application – envisaged to include a mix, from affordable homes to homes for first-time buyers, growing families and downsizers. A detailed planning application is to follow.
The project was approved in 2024. Credit: via Font
Great news for Prestwich . They just need a MEP consultant based in Prestwich to help move things forward !
By Wislon
How do you expect disabled people to walk from new multistory carpark…which by the way older single ladies are nervous to park on….the distance into the new proposed area…There are no provisions for the elderly or disabled. As somebody who has lived in prestwich for over 50years & over 80yrs old I’m now going to have to look to move..why…would you like live concerts on your door Steps.. going on well onto the night.
I’m appalled that the concept as is has been approved.
By Suzan Bloom
Crazy over specification and I’d assume pricing for a small regional town. Why does everyone want / deserve a Rolls Royce instead of a Ford if that can’t afford it! Why should tax payers subsidise the Rolls Royce!!
By Anonymous
I hope we’re not going to get shafted on the final height of the residential property along Rectory Lane! The public consultation held in the library showed us no more than 3 stories high
By David John Bentley
How did they get round removal of that eye sore water contraption in centre
By Nicola
More shops! Really? and no doubt more restaurants (there’s enough already) I also have my doubts about the parking will still be free. If they charge for parking it will slowly kill the footfall stone dead. Over engineered waste of money. All the existing business no doubt will be clobbered with increased business rates.
By Valdo
You’re living in the 1920’s if you still think Prestwich is a ‘small regional town’ 😂
By Anonymous
What about banks and a post office.
By Colin Pearson
I notice there are some dissenting voices in the comments – it is inconceivable that Bury Council would ignore the will of the citizenry, so I can’t understand why anyone is now concerned about the removal of the 700 free parking spaces in daily use, to be replaced with 200 flats and a couple of shrubs.
By Anonymous
It will be fun to leave the car park on an already congested Fairfax road. And will the new buildings be maintained like the Radius complex which looks an eyesore as no maintenance is carried out on the exterior.
By Anonymous
Did Muse not promise to use local contractors wherever possible. We have emailed them several times asking what work will be available for truly local businesses, they haven’t bothered responding!
By Anonymous
The green spaces wont last long, our green space promised to us in perpetuity 25 years ago to use for recreational purposes has now been given planning permission by Bury council against the wishes of 100’s of local residents
By Anonymous
Good – about time Prestwich got the re-generation that is so long overdue. Don’t understand where the justification for the negative comments are coming from. No doubt there will be a messy transition period when construction is underway. My only observation is thus: What will happen to the local shops that currently inhabit the Longfield? will they be offered units in the new development? and where will they go in the meantime? – if the answer to that trio of queries is no, then that may well just play into the hands of Tesco.
By Stuart Robinson
I have just read that the cost of the regeneration of Prestwich Village is now £100 million. When this process first began. The public were told it was going to receive £250 million. Why the drop in funding and will that make for cost cutting on all products used. Please respond to these comments. Thank you.
By Carole Worsley
Hi Carole. If you have a question about the project that you would like a response to, you should direct it towards the developer Muse or Bury Council. Best wishes, Dan
By Dan Whelan