The regeneration plans being put forward for Prestwich have taken another step forward as a construction company has new been appointed to bring the vision of a new village centre to life.
With full planning permission for phase one of the redevelopment granted back in July 2024, it’s been pretty much full speed ahead on lining up one of Greater Manchester’s latest regeneration projects and adding more to what is already one of its best up-and-coming suburbs.
Prestwich Village Regeneration LLP are pumping over £100 million into developing the main square, and with Chroma Consulting having now passed on the baton to those erecting this new-look town centre, the joint venture between Bury Council and national ‘place maker’ Muse, work can soon begin.
You can see one of the first early renders down below:
CGIs of the new space around the Longfield Centre. (Credit: Supplied)
VINCI Building were officially appointed as construction partners last month, and with enabling works (surveys, ground investigations and so forth) now complete, the contractors are expected to get underway soon.
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Additions to the vibrant new village centre will include a multi-storey Travel Hub, which will also see 301 new parking spaces, along with electric vehicle charging points, cycle storage and a car club. This will replace the Fairfax Road car park, which closed when the early stage began last December.
Beyond this, the Prestwich regeneration plans are set to include a community hub, library and flexible community space for arts and cultural events, a new Prestwich Health Centre; a fresh village square with ‘family-friendly social places’ and room for open-air markets, festivals and more.
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A dedicated Prestwich Village Market hall will be the perfect place to house local retailers as well as food and drink vendors, not to mention a much better entry point into the village courtesy of plans to transform the “arrival experience from the tram” by integrating with surrounding green spaces.
Speaking of which, there will also be extensive landscaping in and around the village centre, with the existing fountain set to be removed and new public art installations created in its place.
A glimpse at the new Prestwich Village Market.An overview of all three phases.Credit: Supplied
Beyond the public spaces, over 200 new homes – which made up a big part of the initial application – are also included in the wider vision, with a mix of affordable housing and FTB (first-time buyers) properties.
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Leader of Bury Council, Eamonn O’Brien, said of the latest developments: “We are thrilled to announce the next stage in this multi-million pound transformational regeneration scheme, which marks a significant step towards revitalising the heart of Prestwich Village and creating a vibrant, sustainable future for all.
“As well as enhancing local infrastructure, our ambitious plans will foster economic growth and improve the quality of life for the whole community.” A final completion date is yet to be confirmed, but work on the Travel Hub specifically is set to carry over into next year.
Exciting times are ahead for Prestwich. It’s not the only borough making plans for the next chapter and set for a bit of TLC.
Premier League Darts is returning to Manchester’s AO Arena in 2027
Lydia Mastrolonardo
Premier League Darts is confirmed to be returning to Manchester next year.
Now’s your chance to see the youngest world champion in darts history, AKA Warrington’s very-own Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler, show us how it’s done, as next year’s BetMGM Premier League Darts lineup has just been announced this week – with various dates confirmed across 17 different cities in the UK and Europe.
And Manchester is one of those cities, as the AO Arena has shared that they are set to host an evening next April, and we couldn’t be more excited about it.
This means that we will be lucky enough to witness the biggest names in world darts all under one roof, including headliners Gian van Veen and Luke Humphries, as well as Littler.
Manchester is the only northern city to get the pleasure of hosting the event next year, as Liverpool is also on the lineup, as is Leeds, Sheffield, and Newcastle, while elsewhere in the UK, the stars will travel to Glasgow, Birmingham, London, and several other major locations.
BetMGM Premier League Darts is to be held on Thursday 8 April at the AO Arena in Manchester, and to avoid being disappointed, fans are advised to register for presale ticket access.
Following a successful season of events in 2026, tickets are expected to be like gold-dust, so don’t say you haven’t been warned.
To access the first wave of tickets, fans must become an active PDCTV Annual Member before 23:59pm on Friday 9 October. Alternatively, general sale is on Thursday 22 October 2026, but make sure not to hang about.
Featured Image – Sandro Halank (via Wikimedia Commons)
News
Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands
Emily Sergeant
Andy Burnham has claimed he wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on fans getting to drink alcohol in football stands.
It’s a ban that’s been in place in the top five tiers of men’s football since 1985, when fears over violence and hooliganism were at their height, but now the Prime Minister has raised the question of whether drinking in football stands – or ‘drinking in sight / view of the pitch’, as it’s known formally – is actually unjust, due to the fact that same rules don’t apply to fans of other sports.
“I don’t think it’s fair for football fans to be singled out in that way,” Andy Burnham has declared this week, grabbing headlines in the process.
He continued: “I think that legislation dates to an era where football was very different, and I do believe there is a case to remove that discrimination.
“I’m not going to back away from what’s been a long-held view of mine. I don’t see how it can be fair that some supporters of one sport can be treated differently.”
The Prime Minister’s comments have been met with mixed response.
Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands / Credit: James Kirkup | Julia Nastogadka (via Unsplash)
The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA), for example, has very much welcomed the idea, saying that it ‘totally agrees’ the legislation is ‘outdated’ and ‘deserves to be reviewed’.
Tom Greatrex, chair of the FSA, said in a statement: “The FSA has always argued that it’s unfair to criminalise football fans for having a pint while watching the match – especially since you can sit in the same seat drinking alcohol whilst watching an Oasis gig or rugby league.”
However, on the flip side, the UK Football Policing Unit said it would be ‘incredibly rash’ to change the rules without proper consultation.
“Other sports simply don’t see the violence and criminal behaviour from their supporters that football does, albeit a minority, with alcohol often playing a significant part in violent and disorderly behaviour,” it said in a statement on the matter.
The Prime Minister did state in his initial proposition though that ‘there are different ways it could be done’, hinting that it could be done ‘on a trial basis’ perhaps.
The English Football League (EFL) added that it would be ‘receptive to discussions around reviewing current legislation and permitting alcoholic drinks within view of the pitch’.
No formal details on a review have been confirmed as of yet, so fans are encouraged to stay tuned for updates in due course.
Danny Jones -
4th April 2025 
