Prestwich Village, Manchester, for Muse and Bury Council, with Jon Matthews Architects and Planit

Bury Council’s £100m+ regeneration project transforms Longfield Centre into a new hub for the community. The 2.48ha site is intended to create 200 homes including 1, 2 and 3 bed-flats and townhouses, a community centre, and a 350-space mobility hub, library, a fully equipped gym, a bustling market hall, a village square for events and an array of shops and dining establishments

Who is on the project team? (designer, consultants, etc)

JMA Architects, Planit, Asteer Planning, Civic, Cundall, Font Comms, GIA Surveyors, MAC Construction, Tyler Grange, CMS

Describe the context of this project, its neighbourhood and people.

Described as Manchester’s ‘funkiest family suburb’ and identified by The Sunday Times as a best place to live in 2022 and one of the best places to buy a first home in 2023, Prestwich has undergone a resurgence in recent years. With fast trams into the city centre, a plethora of independent bars, cafes and restaurants, annual community festivals and surrounded by green spaces like Heaton Park and Prestwich Clough, the village has fast become a Greater Manchester hot spot. Known for its fiercely independent spirit and strong community, Prestwich is home to a flourishing and diverse mix of people – from families that have lived there for generations to young professionals relocating from the city centre. However, despite becoming an increasingly popular place to live and visit, the main arrival into the village from the tram – currently home to the tired, old fashioned Longfield Centre – is significantly lacking. Step forward a JV between Bury Council and Muse who have developed ambitious £100m+ regeneration plans to transform the Longfield Centre into a new beating heart for the community. From the start it was vitally important that the place to be created upheld the characteristics of Prestwich Village, enhancing the local identity and creating a welcoming and a unique destination that appeals to everyone. At its core the scheme needed to fulfill not only the role of a village centre, but also deliver an environment that is both functional and beautiful for residents to call home.

Please describe your approach to this future place and its mix of uses. How will it function as a vibrant place?

Prestwich Village is a best-in-class example of community-led and co-created design. The masterplan was developed through a community led, iterative approach. The JV undertook a comprehensive, multi-stage consultation. Awareness raising started in 2022 before an initial conversation with local people on their aspirations for Prestwich in early 2023. Including drop-in sessions, workshops, liaison groups, online Q&A, a website, leaflets and questionnaires, the feedback led to a number of significant changes to the masterplan. The evolved masterplan was then presented back to the community in a second conversation and tweaked following further feedback. 

The new village centre features a community hub with a library and community space; village square; market hall; retail and leisure spaces for local independents; landscaped outdoor and green spaces; public art installations throughout; around 200 new homes and new travel hub. The JV is also exploring the potential for meanwhile uses during construction. The village square stands out as a versatile outdoor community space for a variety of interactions, like bustling markets and festivals, to art exhibitions, open-air cinemas and live performances. Surrounding this square are intimate pockets of green spaces, thoughtfully curated to offer serene spots to unwind.

What is the environmental impact of the project? How will the carbon use and material impact of the development be mitigated? What is the sustainability strategy?

Sustainability is central to the Prestwich vision to create a low-carbon neighbourhood that enhances the environment for future generations. Regeneration will deliver low-carbon, energy-efficient buildings using highly sustainable materials; provide lots of new green spaces and planting; as well as green infrastructure such as electric vehicle charging points. Active travel will also be promoted with cycle storage, connections to local cycling and walking routes, and easy access to Prestwich’s tram and bus services. The plans will help Bury Council achieve its carbon neutral by 2038 ambition, as well as fulfil Muse’s sustainable development objectives. Enviromental impact will be measured against a sustainable development framework - with 5 key themes: circular economy, biodiversity, health and wellbeing, net zero carbon and social value. Whilst a whole life carbon assessment has been used to drive embodied carbon down through careful selection of recyclable and re-useable materials (such as recycled steel embedded in the baseline design of the commercial buildings and the Travel hub). Each plot is predicted to achieve an EPC rating of A, with plans for Air Source Heat Pumps and photovoltaic panels, with all plots targeting a minimum ‘Excellent’ rating under BREEAM New Construction v.6; the industry-leading standard for certification of environmental performance. The new homes will be designed to meet the Passivhaus Classic design and construction standard. The design will harness nature for climate resilience, mitigating overheating and flooding, creatin biodiversity net gain (40.78%) and providing long-term habitats for wildlife, through landscaping, rain gardens, green roofs and tree planting.