A look inside the Prestwich precinct makeover in four episodes, based on an interview with Muse developer project lead…
For Episode One… The Prestwich Regeneration – Is It Any Good? click here
For Episode Two… From Travel Hub To Community Hub – click here
For Episode Three…How Many Jobs? How Many Houses? – click here
Episode Four…’VISUALISING THE FUTURE’ Is the regeneration ‘a betrayal of Prestwich’ that will ‘ruin it forever’?
Final question to Hugh Taylor, Muse developer project lead for the Prestwich scheme which is promising ‘Big changes. Bold Plans. Your future Prestwich is coming to life’…
Is it going to look any good, or will it be like many other sterile regeneration projects?
“I think it will look fantastic, I’m really proud of this” enthuses Hugh “We’re building something that we think contributes positively to Prestwich…In the next two or three years we can walk away from this knowing that we have delivered a huge Village Square which is unique in itself, a market hall…inclusion of small retail spaces is a massive positive, having a library and still retaining the NHS off the Square, and having all this in close proximity to the Metrolink and travel hub is a massive plus. So yes, I think it will be a real positive.”
Some Prestwich social media posters are calling it a ‘betrayal of Prestwich’ which will ‘ruin it forever’…?
“We see on social media that we’re building five towers at ten storeys and everyone who lives in the apartments must have two cars!” he pronounces incredulously “People have produced feedback, we have incorporated that where we could and have tried to explain when we can’t comply, why we can’t comply. There have been some tweaks and changes but regeneration is a funny old place. If we could keep everyone happy and do it at a price everybody would want to pay for it, then everyone would do it…
“The great thing about the built environment is that everyone has an opinion on it and everyone is entitled to it” he concludes “We’ve delivered what we consider to be an appropriate scheme for the village that we’re proud of, and the key bit is how liveable it is…”
And with that, we go back outside and walk towards the half empty car park at the back of the precinct. Hugh shows the lines of the hoardings that are about to be erected, that will still allow access to the fountain sculpture square and the remaining open shops and existing doctors and chemists, while the derelict library, Longfield Suite and shops get demolished in the coming weeks.
At the far side of the square, the Labour Party people have gone, and there’s just a few people hurrying about the empty paths to Bury New Road and the next chapter of their Prestwich Village destiny…
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The following day you see on social media what the Labour Party photoshoot was all about. It was launching its local election campaign. And choosing to do so on Prestwich precinct, with GM Mayor, Andy Burnham heralding the regeneration “jewel”, showing that…“The benefits of being part of Greater Manchester are coming now to Prestwich”.
You check out the £40million just presented to the scheme by GMCA [Greater Manchester Combined Authority] via the National Wealth Fund and read on its website that, of the funding, it’s “£34.9million for 248 new rental homes across three buildings as part of the Prestwich Village regeneration project, including 62 at 20% below market rent, all built to the Future Homes Standard.” (see previous Episode 3)
Many have been asking whether ‘Your Prestwich’ is ‘Our Prestwich’, or even ‘Their Prestwich’. Time will tell on the second big regeneration of Prestwich precinct since it was built in the Seventies; the previous attempt being regarded as a failure, despite the hopes and wishes of the communities who contributed to it.
That Andy Burnham, plus an MP, councillors and Bury Council Leader chose to promote Prestwich as its “jewel”, leaves a hell of a lot to live up to…
