Housing minister presented with Radcliffe brownfield housing delivery plans

Housing minister Christopher Pincher visited Radcliffe yesterday to see Bury Council’s plans to create new homes on brownfield sites.

With council leader Eamonn O’Brien, he toured a number of sites where affordable houses are planned which will play a major role in the wider long-term regeneration of the town.

These sites include:

• The former East Lancs Paper Mill - the largest brownfield housing site in the district. The council, in partnership with Homes England, aim to bring 400 homes to market, surrounded by parkland and upgraded cricket club facilities. The council will announce the successful developer later in the year.

• School Street, where the council is using Brownfield Land Fund money and working with the GMCA to deliver family homes.

The delegation also visited Fletcher Fold in Bury North, where groundwork has already been carried out in advance of plans for the delivery of 26 affordable homes.

Cllr O’Brien took the opportunity to update Mr Pincher on the Radcliffe Strategic Regeneration Framework. This includes a new high school, to be built by Star Academies at the Coney Green site; a new civic hub; proposals for Market Chambers and an Enterprise Centre; and plans to improve retail, office, leisure and community facilities. The council has submitted a bid for £20 million to the Levelling Up fund to help fund the proposals.

Cllr O’Brien said: “We are fully committed to the transformation of Radcliffe town centre, the complementary accelerated delivery of housing on brownfield land, and are backing up our plans with many millions of pounds of investment. It will take all of us working in partnership – local residents and businesses, private developers and the government – to make those dreams a reality.

“It was a pleasure to meet the minister and outline to him our proposals to regenerate this part of borough.”

Housing Minister RT Hon Christopher Pincher said: “This Government is determined to support local places so they can make the best use of derelict land, deliver high quality homes and facilitate regeneration in our towns and cities. Doing that places the right emphasis on brownfield sites, taking the pressure off greener spaces.

“I was very pleased to visit Bury, which through its former MP Sir Robert Peel has an historic connection to my own constituency, to find out about the exciting opportunities to repurpose underused land and drive economic growth.”

Accompanying Mr Pincher and Cllr O’Brien were the MPs for Bury North and Bury South, James Daly and Christian Wakeford. They were joined by Geoff Little, the council’s chief executive; Paul Lakin, director of regeneration and growth; David Lynch, assistant director regeneration; and Neil Waddington, delivery director at the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.

ENDS

Press release issued: 20 August 2021.

Picture: New homes on brownfield land – council leader Cllr Eamonn O’Brien (left) outlines the plans to housing minister Christopher Pincher (centre) and Bury South MP Christian Wakeford.