Improvements at Prestwich Clough and St Mary’s Flower Park

During 2024, Bury Council invited Community Interest Company Proffitts – Investing in Communities to help on a project to improve Prestwich Clough and St Mary’s Flower Park in Prestwich.

After several months of Proffitts consulting with visitors, voluntary groups, specialist arborists, the council tree officer, and the greenspace and local nature reserve officer, and applying for planning permission, planning approval for the tree work was gained and work to deal with the dead, diseased and dying.

The full improvement works, funded by both Bury Council through the Capital Programme and Veolia Environmental Trust, have included footpath and access improvements, drainage works, replacing damaged and missing fencing, and installing more seating and signage. Several dead, diseased, dying and dangerous trees – some with ash die back – are now due to be removed which are adjacent to the main footpaths and desire lines for safety reasons through additional funding found by Bury Council through Section 106.

Councillor Alan Quinn, cabinet member for the environment, climate change and operations, said: “Prestwich Clough and St Mary’s Flower Park are both beautiful spaces, and we’re thrilled that we’ve been able to make some of the changes needed to keep the sites safe, and welcoming, to visitors. We want to make sure that we manage the area where we can so nature can thrive in spaces like this, and we want to give the communities close by wonderful, outdoor spaces that they can reach and explore easily, and that they can spend lots of time in.’’

Rachael Gildert, Landscape Architect from Proffitts – Investing in Communities, said: “We’re delighted to be part of a project that helps keep amazing spaces like these accessible for everyone. Although contractors have been making upgrades across the clough and the park, a key aim has also been to minimise any environmental impacts and keep the public space as natural as possible. Visitors will notice that the specialists have left areas of dead wood standing where possible, created habitat piles, and they plan to replant a mixture of trees and native shrubs in the woodland and the glades affected by works carried out by United Utilities too.’’

Tree work and planting will start in early January 2025, and will be completed by the end of March 2025.

More information and a copy of the overall larger masterplan for the area can be found here:

https://www.proffittscic.com/community-projects/prestwich-clough-and-st-marys-flower-park-prestwich/

ENDS

Issued: 20 December 2024.

About Proffitts

Proffitts – Investing in Communities CIC is a venture with a fresh and lively approach to community based regeneration, neighbourhood management and green space solutions. Proffitts is committed to connecting local people with local investment and give them the opportunity to improve their own communities through involvement and understanding.