The borough of Bury is changing at a fast pace.
Major developments are earmarked for Radcliffe, Prestwich and Ramsbottom. And the plans for Prestwich are set to transform how the suburb looks and feels forever.
Developers continue to table plans for schemes that catch the eye and promise to bring new homes, leisure and medical facilities to the borough.
Below are are some of the key projects that could transform the town in 2025 and beyond.
Possible one-way system and transport investment in Ramsbottom
Roads in the centre of Ramsbottom would become one-way and a 20mph zone introduced under plans that are currently out for public consultation. Bridge Street would be reduced to a single lane and one-way between Garden Street and Bolton Street, with widened pavements.
Kay Brow would become one way eastbound with new raised tables on Kay Brow, Railway Street and Bolton Street to act as traffic calming measures. Other changes proposed include the introduction of a 20mph speed limit zone for the town centre and closing off some streets to traffic.
Bury Council said their work shows the plans will not significantly increase journey time. They said the scheme is being funded by the government via the Streets for All element of Greater Manchester’s city region sustainable transport settlement.
There are no proposals to ban or impose specific restrictions on HGVs. The 477 and X41 bus services will be re-routed via Bolton Street.
Redevelopment of the centre of Prestwich
Work has started on the £100m re-development of the centre of Prestwich which will eventually include a new food and market hall and a village square. A multi-storey car park is being built at Fairfax Road which will be the transport hub for the town.
A public consultation conducted by the council’s development partners Muse said that the project should take inspiration from Manchester city centre’s Mackie Mayor, alongside projects in Chorlton, Altrincham and Didsbury, to provide a leisure focussed type of market hall.
Muse say they plan to build a ‘food hall for local food operators and communal seating that spills out onto the village square’. The project will replace the current Longfield Centre with Bury Council saying they hope to ‘cement Prestwich as one of the best places to live and spend time in the North West’.
The plans include a new community hub building, including a library and community space that can be used for events, clubs and art and culture.
Mill Gate Centre
A vision of a transformed Bury town centre by redeveloping the Mill Gate Shopping Centre and the surrounding 15 acres to include less retail and more housing has been put forward. The council has published an update to its strategy for the town centre shopping complex after it acquired the centre and wider estate alongside joint venture partner Bruntwood in April 2022.
The council describe the proposals as having “the potential to deliver one of the North West’s most ambitious regeneration projects”. The vision puts forward proposals to deliver 120 homes within its first development phase, with up to 700-800 over the entire masterplan period of 15 to 20 years.
The Mill Gate shopping centre is set for a massive transformation
The council hopes the regenerated area will be suitable for modern retail while also catering for the leisure sector.
Radcliffe Civic Hub
The new Civic Hub is taking shape in the heart of Radcliffe town centre. It will become the new permanent home for leisure in Radcliffe including a swimming pool, together with a new library, community space and enhanced support for health and wellbeing. Site works are ongoing at the site of the new £40m project.
Radcliffe Hub is due to open in 2026
The frame for the hub is currently being erected. Radcliffe Market will be open throughout the duration of the work and other town centre businesses will be trading as usual too.
As of December 2024 excavations and works continue to create the basement areas and work is set to start on the roof over the pool area.
Bury Market Flexi-Hall
The flexi hall will comprise a large, state-of-the-art, carbon neutral, multifunctional events space that can support market stalls, ‘pop-up’ trading, live performance and community events. The development will also include a café bar, an area dedicated to office functions, and space dedicated to the provision of workshops, co-worker space or small business start-ups.
The start of Bury Market Flexi Hall construction is expected in June 2025 with the scheme expected to be finished in the summer of 2026.
Radcliffe’s new 750-place high school at Spring Lane
The school, which opened in temporary buildings in September, saw children from the town able to attend school there for the first time since 2014. The school, operated by Star Academies, will be built at the site of the temporary leisure centre on Spring Lane.
How the school will look once complete
In October, it was announced there had been delays to the building of the permanent building, meaning a second cohort of around 150 children will be taught in temporary buildings from September 2025. It is hoped the building will be ready for sometime in the 25/26 academic year.
Improvement project at Whitehead Gardens, Tottington
It has been confirmed that funding for the Whitehead Gardens, Tottington improvement project has been secured. The project is being funded by Bury Council and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Whitehead Gardens in Tottington
The project, which was put on hold because of the pandemic, has been championed by Tottington and Bury West Rotary Club, Tottington Primary School, Tottington High School and local residents. Plans for the site include making improvements to access and pathways, installing new seating areas, tree works, wild flower planting, wall repairs and improving drainage.
A big part of the project also involves bringing the staged area within the gardens back into community use.