New Plan for Whitefield and Unsworth provides a vision for the future

Date published: 01 September 2008

Each LAP has asked the local community as well as other members of the Team Bury project, such as the Primary Care Trust, Six Town Housing and Police, for their views on what the local priorities should be.

Whitefield and Unsworth has put forward a number of proposals which range from improved facilities for young people to tackling specific social issues on Victoria and Hillock Estates.

On the Environment, the LAP will work towards protecting green spaces in and around Hollins Village and tackling fly tipping or litter hotspots. A new ‘Love Whitefield’ anti litter campaign will be launched and local schools will promote the importance of caring for the local area to their pupils. The LAP will look at ways of tackling noise and pollution from Heavy Goods Vehicles which use the access corridors to the motorway and 20mph speed limits will be considered in some local areas. The LAP will liaise with GMPTE to consider whether bus links between Hollins Village, the Hillock Estate and the town centre can be improved to ensure that local residents can access the new health centre easily.

Local employment opportunities, such as those at the new Morrisons store in Whitefield Town Centre, will be promoted and the issue of worklessness in key areas of Whitefield and Unsworth will be tackled through a range of schemes to promote training and skills. Additionally, a small business association will be created to help traders in Whitefield town centre.

The plan also provides details on promoting a healthy lifestyle to reduce the number of people smoking and tackle obesity. Cancer screening, healthy start vouchers and schemes to encourage people to get active will be promoted.

One of the key aspects of the plan is to look at how inequalities between Hillock and Victoria Estates and the rest of the borough can be reduced. A series of targeted campaigns will encourage community learning; a healthy lifestyle; employment opportunities; tackle anti social behaviour and address absenteeism from school through increased youth service provision. On the Hillock Estate plans to transform the Albert Place shops will be developed and new plans for social and affordable housing put forward. A new police officer for the Victoria Estate will also be in post by 2011.

The plan seeks to ensure that Whitefield and Unsworth are a safe and secure place to live through the promotion Homewatch groups to local residents and the introduction of a drug and alcohol awareness program to tackle anti social behaviour.

New school holiday activities and extra youth services provision, the creation of specific ‘Ball Zones’ at Elms Field and Hunters Hill and new play equipment at Victoria Park will ensure that young people have things to do out of school hours.

Councillor Michelle Wiseman, Chair of Whitefield and Unsworth Local Area Partnership, said: “The community plan creates a clear vision for the future of Whitefield and Unsworth. There is a whole host of schemes to help local residents of all ages so that people see a real difference in their local area.”