BURY council’s bid for a government grant to regenerate high streets has been unsuccessful.

Prestwich was not selected for the next round of the Future High Streets Fund.

But outgoing council leader Rishi Shori said the local authority will commit the resources needed to design the scheme with the aim of securing planning permission for the scheme by next year.

He said: “We will work hard to ensure the remaining land acquisitions can be undertaken and look to attract key tenants to sign-up to space in the scheme. If we can successfully raise the finance required we could see the scheme start on site in late 2021.”

The council is working on a revised first-phase of the scheme which it hopes to unveil in the autumn.

Lib Dem councillor Michael Powell, who represents the Prestwich village area, expressed his disappointment about the failed bid.

He said: "People are fed up of hearing that the village centre will be regenerated and nothing happening. Local people don’t even know what the council’s plans are and they are talking about starting work in less than two years time. 

"It is vital that the future of Prestwich village is one that local people can be proud of - and for that we need to have our say”.