Council leader backs completion of 30 affordable homes in Whitefield

Monday, 28 July 2025 11:13

By David Murphy

Richard O’Neill, Cllr Eamonn O’Brien, Jackie Summerscales and Sandy Livingstone (credit: Onward Homes)

Thirty new affordable homes have been completed in Whitefield, with Bury Council leader Eamonn O’Brien praising the development for transforming a derelict site into much-needed housing.

A partnership between Bury Council and Onward Homes has delivered 30 new properties at Wheatfields Court in Whitefield, bringing a long-vacant brownfield site back into community use. The scheme includes 14 shared ownership homes and 16 available for affordable rent, with Bury Council managing allocations for the rented units long-term.

Built on the site of the former Wheatfields Day Centre, the homes were funded through Onward’s strategic partnership with Homes England and supported by brownfield development funds from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA). The funding aimed to revive the overgrown site and provide affordable housing opportunities for local families.

Councillor Eamonn O’Brien visited the completed development alongside Jackie Summerscales, Bury’s strategic housing delivery manager, and Onward’s executive team. He described the scheme as a “popular and high-quality” example of effective regeneration and praised the partnership approach.

“It’s really pleasing to see another derelict brownfield site transformed into new homes that are both affordable and accessible for local people to enjoy,” said Councillor O’Brien. “Bury Council worked closely with Onward to agree the right housing mix at Wheatfields, to ensure that local people continue to benefit from new residential development in the area.”

Onward Homes, which owns and manages 35,000 properties across the North West, plans to build 5,000 new homes by 2030. Executive director Sandy Livingstone said the development reflects Onward’s ongoing commitment to Bury and surrounding areas.

“We are committed to improving the quality and choice of affordable housing in Bury, as well as investing heavily into our existing homes,” Mr Livingstone said. “Through strong partnership working, we can continue to provide local customers with homes that are affordable to rent or buy, and affordable to run in the long term.”

Social value was also a key component of the development, with contractor John Southworth investing in seven local projects, including the creation of a green space for children with additional needs at Mersey Drive Primary School.

The Wheatfields scheme is part of a broader housing delivery programme underway in Bury. The council is currently overseeing the disposal of several other brownfield sites and expects to deliver more than 360 new affordable homes in the coming years.