It’s all about preparation

Hello everyone. I thought it would be helpful to keep you up to date with our regeneration plans for the borough’s townships.

The council’s cabinet has just approved the progress made so far, and the next steps, in transforming Bury’s Mill Gate centre, Radcliffe town centre, and the Longfield Precinct in Prestwich.

We all know that the nature of town centres is changing, and the traditional high street is not what it was. Exacerbated by Covid lockdowns and the inexorable rise of online shopping, people now want more than just shops in the town centre – they want leisure activities, health centres, food and drink, and some even want to live there.

These major regeneration plans have not been drawn up because our centres have unique or particular problems, but because we need to make sure they are fit for the future. We need to move with the times and create spaces that people will want in 20 or 30 years.

We’ll soon have details of the next rounds of public consultation, when you can play your part in helping us get the right kind of town centres. Watch this space!

Cabinet has also approved other measures to make our towns modern and sustainable. These include ways to bring up to 100 new EV chargers to the borough, so drivers will find it easier to power up the cars of the future. We’re also working with partners to create more supported housing for people with mental health needs, which is sorely lacking in Bury.

Despite what seems like an eternity of austerity, we will continue to invest in all our futures, simply because it’s the right thing to do.

Don’t forget – we’ve just launched a new support scheme for those struggling with food and fuel costs. Awards will be based on income and expenditure, with payments ranging from £100 to £300 depending on a resident’s financial circumstances. And you do not need to be on benefits to qualify.