Prestwich Village to face major re-development as plans approved
The Longfield Centre has been open for just over a decade but will now see major re-developments which should benefit the community.
Since opening in 2013, The Longfield Centre in Prestwich Village has been a significant part of the community in which many rely on for food shopping, leisure and somewhere to grab a nice cup of coffee.
The £100m works will breathe a new life into Prestwich, one that the community will be able to take full advantage of.
It will see around 200 new homes, retail and leisure spaces, an expanded village square and a new library that will be more than double the size of the previous one.
The project is being led by Prestwich LPP, which is joined with Muse and Bury Council.
The developers say plans are designed to build on what makes Prestwich special, while creating a modern, welcoming centre that reflects the needs of today and tomorrow.
Demolition works are beginning to take place imminently, with all of the shopping units being vacated, as well as the library.
Lifts across the library, Longfield Suite and Iceland have also been decommissioned.
“With everything closed down, it’s miserable”, local resident Rodger tells me.
When walking around, there is a sense of isolation, a sense of absence. People walk past these closed down shops, not giving them a second thought.
Hugh Taylor, Senior Project Manager at Muse said: “These enabling works mark the exciting beginning of the Longfield Centre transformation – an important milestone in delivering this once-in-a-generation investment for Prestwich.
However, some residents don’t believe this is the case.
The curious locals who pass by stopped to speak to me, however they didn't want to be named.
“We are losing a shopping precinct and going to be left with nothing but flats”, one woman told me, clearly unhappy with the new developments.
Rodger told me that he wished to see some more live entertainment in Prestwich.
“The Holy Weavers and groups like that [is what we need] singing at Christmas…bring back the entertainment and that will bring back the community.”
The current plans don’t specifically say anything about live entertainment however that doesn’t mean it won’t be a possibility, it will depend on what companies hire out the retail/leisure spaces.
Before the closure of The Longfield Centre, the community spirit was quite good. It is only hoped that this can be brought back, especially with the new high street culture once the work has been completed.
Residents are also hoping that more small businesses will be able to come back to the high street. These could include bakeries, cafes or independent shops - it is hoped this will bring back the dearly missed community spirit and high street culture back to Prestwich.
Rob Summerfield, Director of Regeneration and Project Delivery at Bury Council, said: "The Longfield Centre is dated, deteriorating and no longer fit for what Prestwich needs as a village centre. Its demolition marks the point where long-promised change becomes visible, as we begin to deliver a new modern village centre that the community deserves.”
For more information on this development, you can visit the ‘Your Prestwich’ website for all of the details.