Work has begun to pave the way for the demolition of the 60-year-old Longfield Centre, marking a major milestone in the £100 million transformation of Prestwich Village. Delivered by Prestwich LLP, a joint venture between nationwide placemaker Muse and Bury Council, the once-in-a-generation regeneration will create a new beating heart in the centre of the village.
The Longfield Centre has reached the end of its usable life and can no longer support the needs of the community. The demolition, led by DSM Demolition Ltd, will make way for an exciting new chapter for Prestwich, including new homes, vibrant retail and leisure spaces, an expanded village square, and a new library more than twice the size of the previous facility. The plans are designed to build on what makes Prestwich special, while creating a modern, welcoming centre that reflects the needs of today and tomorrow.
Behind the scenes, the Prestwich LLP team has been working with local charity Manchester Pigeon Rehab to safely remove pigeons and their nests from the Longfield Centre. DSM Demolition Ltd is scheduled to carry out ecological checks and coordinate ongoing wildlife monitoring as demolition plans progress.
Extensive enabling works are also underway to prepare the site ahead of demolition. These include an asbestos survey, with any identified asbestos to be handled and removed by a specialist contractor, and the disconnection of utilities, with service providers removing meters in the area. The library has now been fully vacated, with all contents safely removed and set to be relocated to a temporary home in the Phoenix Centre, while the new library is built. The temporary library in the Phoenix Centre is set to open in the coming weeks. Lifts across the library, Longfield Suite and Iceland have also been decommissioned.
Further works have included safely degassing air conditioning systems and coordinating with utility companies to ensure all remaining services and waste are properly managed.
Hugh Taylor, Senior Project Manager at Muse said:
“These enabling works mark the exciting beginning of the Longfield Centre transformation – an important milestone in delivering this once-in-a-generation investment for Prestwich.
“We are now moving into the final stages of preparation with our demolition contractor, and residents will soon see real progress on site as hoardings are installed and activity ramps up. Our priority is to carry out the demolition safely and minimise disruption to local people, and we’ll continue to keep the community updated as we approach the start of main demolition works and dates are confirmed.”
