Community asked for views on £500m housing scheme near Bury’s Elton Reservoir
Manchester-based developer, Peel L&P, is inviting residents of Radcliffe and Bury for their feedback on £500m plans for a new sustainable neighbourhood.
The scheme will provide new community facilities, better transport links, and new public parkland at land west of Elton Reservoir.
Peel L&P’s proposals would include new open spaces and parkland with leisure and nature uses, health facilities, new primary schools and improved access to Radcliffe to support the ongoing regeneration of the local area.
New transport improvements and more sustainable travel options would ease congestion around Bury and Radcliffe town centres including a new link road connecting Bury in the north with Radcliffe in the south.
This will provide a new north-south travel corridor including a high quality bus route and safer facilities for cyclists and pedestrians. There could also be a new Metrolink station and travel hub at Warth Fold.
The project represents an investment worth half a billion pounds to the area and brings further economic benefits to both towns creating 240 full time jobs each year during construction and more than 100 additional jobs for residents.
Peel said the proposals would also see more than £75m spent in local shops and leisure facilities by new residents and a council tax revenue for Bury Council of £9m to help improve local services further.
The land west of Elton Reservoir is included in the emerging Places for Everyone (PfE) plan, which sets out how each borough can meet the local need for new homes, jobs and sustainable growth.
PfE has earmarked the site for up to 3,500 new homes which would include affordable housing options and homes to buy or rent for families, first-time buyers and downsizers as well as retirement and extra care living.
Homes would be highly energy efficient and sustainably designed, to lower running costs for residents.
The plans have been formed around the Elton and Withins reservoirs, which will be retained and enhanced, and seek to complement the current natural landscape. More than two-thirds of the site will remain as green space and parkland and the planned new neighbourhood would be well connected to nature, with green space that will be made more accessible to all and extend beyond the current rights of way to help improve people’s health and wellbeing.
Nick Graham, Peel L&P’s associate director of planning, said: “After spending years carefully developing this vision alongside the PfE plan, we are delighted to share the proposals for land west of Elton Reservoir which will provide much needed new homes, transport, leisure and recreational facilities, and economic investment to Radcliffe and South Bury.
“With the water and parkland at the heart of our vision, the community will be well connected to nature with better access to the beautiful reservoir surroundings which will provide a range of health and wellbeing benefits.
“We are still at an early stage of the process and are keen to hear what local people think. This is the first of multiple stages of consultation and the feedback we receive will be taken on board as our plans progress.”
Details, and the opportunity to express views on the plans, are available at: my.engaged.space/eltonres while residents can also call the dedicated community information line on 0800 170 1223.
The public consultation will run until Monday, April 10, 2023.
