Cash boost gives new hope to Philips Park

Reporter: Ask Bury
Date online: 02 February 2007

Bury Council has secured a pound;44,200 cash grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund and Big Lottery Fund to prepare a restoration plan for Philips Park in Prestwich.

Two public consultation days will be held in order to discuss what local people would like to see happen to the park. Everyone is welcome to attend and contribute ideas.

The first will be held on Wednesday February 21 at 7.30pm and will be hosted by the Friends of Prestwich Forest Park at the Longfield Suite in Prestwich.

The second opportunity for locals to have their say will be on Saturday April 14 when draft proposals are put on show at the Longfield Suite Memorial Hall between 11am and 2pm.

Philips Park was the home of the Philips family and developed by them between 1790 and 1946. It was acquired by Whitefield Council in 1948, passing to Bury in the 1970's. The Philips's house was demolished in 1948 but the estate farm and house stable block survive. The farm shippon was turned into a countryside centre in 1996 and the stable block was used as a nightclub and function suite until last year. The purpose of the restoration plan is to identify viable uses for grounds and buildings and will hopefully form the basis of a major park restoration funding bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund. A restoration plan was previously prepared in 1998 but not followed up because of conflicts with the nightclub operation. The building is now back in the possession of the council and can be included in the plans for the park.

The restoration plan is being prepared by historic park restoration consultants, Lanarca, in conjunction with architects Lloyd Evans Prichard (who were involved in the restoration of Heaton Park) and business analysts, Pat Laughlin Associates.

The grant was awarded under the Parks for People programme, which is operated by the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Big Lottery Fund.