PRESTWICH RETAIL CAPACITY STUDY  

In order to take forward the “Love Prestwich” Village Centre strategy, a further retail capacity study has been undertaken to ensure that the key recommendations of the Love Prestwich Village Strategy are based on the most up-to-date possible assessment of the capacity and need for new retail development within Prestwich.

This new evidence, the Prestwich Town Centre Retail Capacity Assessment, has now been prepared by Drivers Jonas and can be viewed by following the link below:

Download Prestwich Town Centre Retail Capacity Assessment document (1mb 127 page pdf)

Copies of the Prestwich Town Centre Retail Capacity Assessment are also available for inspection at Prestwich Library and at the Planning Reception, 2nd floor, Craig House, Bank Street, Bury.
Brief Summary of the Retail Assessment:

The retail assessment document identifies the relevant aspects of national planning policy, provides commentary on qualitative considerations, identifies the appropriate Primary Catchment Area (PCA) for Prestwich, and provides a quantitative analysis of capacity/need.

The quantitative analysis is based on 3 scenarios for growth of expenditure/market share in the PCA for a period up to 2021 (i.e. the period of the masterplan covered by the Love Prestwich Village strategy)

- maintaining existing market share
- moderate increase in market share
- more ambitious market share

The analysis shows that for:
Convenience shopping (food) - shows that the Longfield Centre proposal more than takes up all retail capacity under all 3 growth scenarios but there is a strong qualitative case for this proposal.

Comparison shopping (non-food) - shows that, after all projected town centre schemes are taken into account, there might be sufficient capacity remaining to give consideration to edge of centre schemes towards the end of the study period (2017 - 2021) under the moderate and ambitious growth scenarios.

Based on the level of convenience and comparison retail capacity in the PCA the retail assessment draws the conclusion that for at least the first 5 years of the study period the authority should carefully consider the phasing of new development on a “town centres first” basis as supported by national planning policy.

THE PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON THE DRAFT PRESTWICH REGENERATION STRATEGY HAS NOW FINISHED.

MANY THANKS TO THE HUNDREDS OF LOCAL RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES THAT HAVE RESPONDED TO THE CONSULTATION

The responses are now being analysed and collated and will form part of a report with recommendations to be submitted to Bury Council’s Executive Committee in January.

There will be an update at the January 13th Area Partnership meeting.

Lib Dem led Prestwich Area Partnership is working closely with Bury Council and appointed consultants, URBED to develop Prestwich Town Centre. We aim to provide local residents and businesses with a first class sustainable shopping/working/living environment that local people can be proud of and that will encourage “passing” traffic to visit rather than pass through. Our aim therefore is not mere development but collaboratave regeneration of our town centre as a pleasant, destination for visitors and locals alike.

As part of the biggest consultation ever carried out in Prestwich, leaflets summarising plans and encouraging feedback will be distributed to every house in the area.

Documents are also available to view online by visiting Urbed’s website at http://www.urbed.coop/ .

Also available online:

There are three documents available online which (links below) including the “Options Report” which looks at a number of options for areas in Prestwich for development, including; The Longfield Centre, The Health Centre, Metrolink Station, Tesco’s, a Techno Park and Prestwich Hospital among others.

URBED will use feedback from the options to
help produce a final masterplan and development strategy for further consultation later on in the year that addresses the concerns of the community and local business community, as well as the development aspirations of developers. 

Prestwich Village Centre Option
http://www.urbed.coop/journal_photos/01%20-%20Option%201%20wide%20view%20web.jpg”
 - using an expanded Tescos to anchor the centre www.urbed.coop/journal_photos/04%20-%20Option%202%20wide%20view%20web.jpg“
Prestwich Village Centre Option 2
http://www.urbed.coop/journal_photos/04%20-%20Option%202%20wide%20view%20web.jpg”
http://www.urbed.coop/journal_docs/Prestwich%20Baseline%20Report%20May%2008.pdf”

Prestwich Baseline Report a Draft Baseline Report May 2008
http://www.urbed.coop/journal_docs/Prestwich%20Consultation%20Report%20May%2008.pdf”

Prestwich Consultation Report-a Report of proceedings of the Prestwich Roundtable
Workshop in the Longfield Suite 13th March 2008 
http://www.urbed.coop/journal_docs/Prestwich%20Options%20Report%20May%2008.pdf

Prestwich Options Report -a Options Report for Prestwich May 2008 http://www.urbed.coop/journal_docs/Prestwich%20Baseline%20Report%20May%2008.pdf 

Prestwich Masterplanning Options