Conlon Construction Launches Bury Town Centre Housing 2026

Key Points

• Conlon Construction has started the remediation and enabling works at Pyramid Park, which is a brownfield site of 7.4 acres located in the town center of Bury.
• The site previously used as Knowsley Street railway station that was operational until 1970 is being developed for approximately 138 houses as part of a total of 215 houses across two sites.
• Remediation is done through £1.73m funding from Brownfield Land Release Fund provided by the government in 2023.
• Watson Homes has been selected as the preferred bidder by Bury Council to develop approximately 200 houses at the Pyramid Park site and above-ground Q-Park car park site.
• Conlon’s contract is estimated at up to £1,554,000 including contingency and 90-day duration until completion in autumn 2026.
• The site should be sold to a private developer by 31 March 2027 in line with the grant requirements, and the housing should be completed by 31 March 2029.
• The development was seen by Cllr Charlotte Morris, the cabinet member for regeneration and growth at Bury Council, as an essential milestone in addressing the demand for housing.
• Throughout the contract Conlon will collaborate with local companies such as LK Group and Cheetham Hill Construction.

Bury (Manchester Mirror) October 02, 2026 – Conlon Construction has begun remediation and site enabling works at Pyramid Park, a 7.4-acre brownfield site in Bury town centre that is being prepared for residential development. The contractor, appointed by Bury Council, is now on site delivering works that will unlock the former Knowsley Street railway station site for town centre homes. Watson Homes has been named as the local authority’s preferred bidder to deliver around 200 homes across Pyramid Park and the land above the underground Q-Park car park, a development that forms a key component of the Bury Town Centre Masterplan.

How much funding is supporting Pyramid Park remediation?

Remediation work at Pyramid Park is being funded by a £1.73 million grant from the government’s Brownfield Land Release Fund, which Bury Council secured in late 2023. Conlon Construction was appointed in July 2026 on a contract valued at up to £1,554,000 including contingency, with a 90-day term for the remediation main works. According to council papers, the proposed works received planning consent in 2024 and were scheduled to commence in July 2026 with completion expected by autumn 2026. Under the grant agreement, the site must be sold to a private developer by 31 March 2027, with completion of new homes required within two years of that date.

Who are the key stakeholders in the Pyramid Park development?

Cllr Charlotte Morris, cabinet member for regeneration and growth at Bury Council, said: “Today marks an important landmark for the council in meeting growing housing demand and creating thriving communities.” As reported by Neil Tague of Place North West, Cllr Morris added: “By bringing forward Pyramid Park and Q-Park, two strategically important brownfield sites that sit at the heart of our ambitions for Bury town centre we are recognising their enormous potential and now turning that potential into reality. This is the start of things to come as part of regeneration of Bury town centre.”

Darren Lee, commercial director at Conlon Construction, said: “We are proud to be working with Bury Council on such a pivotal regeneration project at Pyramid Park. This site has huge potential to positively transform the town centre, and we’re looking forward to delivering the enabling works that will unlock it for high-quality housing. It’s especially rewarding to be involving local businesses throughout and supporting the borough’s growth and community aspirations.” Conlon will work with several local firms throughout its contract, including the LK Group and Cheetham Hill Construction.

Rob Watson, director at Watson Construction, said: “This flagship development will help unlock further investment in the town centre. The council set out a clear brief on housing mix and tenure, shaped by local housing need and focused on creating a new community that improves people’s lives. From a developer’s perspective, the council’s vision — and the way it has been communicated throughout the process — has been refreshing. We look forward to working with our partners to deliver a scheme that will further support the growth and regeneration of Bury town centre.”

What is the scale of housing planned for Pyramid Park?

The proposed scheme includes approximately 138 homes at Pyramid Park and about 77 flats at Q-Park, totalling around 215 homes across the two brownfield sites. Bury Council says that the Pyramid Park site could hold two apartment blocks and 10 townhouses. For Q-Park’s part, although the scheme was built in the late 2000s as part of Ask and Bury’s Townside development, the airspace above the car park has remained vacant ever since. The existing Q-Park structure is already designed to accommodate the construction and weighting of a future residential building, with extra-care accommodation also to be delivered as part of the scheme.

When will construction and completion take place?

A ground breaking ceremony was held on Tuesday, 15 September 2026, marking an important milestone in the two projects with the official start of development at Pyramid Park. Remediation is expected to take place on the Pyramid Park site until the end of the year, according to Cllr Morris. A planning application is expected to then come forward for the development in early 2027. The council hopes work on the new homes will then commence in the spring. According to tender documents, the developer would have finished its project at Pyramid Park by the end of March 2029.

Why has Pyramid Park been identified for regeneration?

Pyramid Park, long identified as a big regeneration opportunity, had become problematic, attracting antisocial behaviour, made worse due to poor visibility and the lack of ground level access to the site from the town centre. The site is a 7.4-acre council-owned brownfield site on the edge of the town centre, close to Bury Interchange. Conlon Construction is delivering the remediation and site enabling works on the site, which includes levelling the pyramid structures after which the park is named. The site is a former railway goods yard, with the proposed development to comprise a new access road and highway drainage, incorporating provision for incoming utilities infrastructure.

Background of the Pyramid Park Development

Pyramid Park occupies the site of the former Knowsley Street railway station, which closed in 1970. The 7.4-acre brownfield site has been identified as a key regeneration opportunity for Bury town centre for several years. Conlon Construction was first appointed in 2024 for a pre-construction service agreement before being confirmed as the main contractor in July 2026. Bury has previously worked with Watson Homes on projects including the Green Street site in Radcliffe town centre. The development is tied to wider town centre regeneration, including remediation works, transport interchange improvements and the need to resolve existing lease and occupational interests at Q-Park. Bury’s Local Plan proposes 9,486 homes to 2043, with Pyramid Park identified as a key council-owned site with potential to deliver around 150 homes as part of a new sustainable neighbourhood.

Prediction: How This Development Can Affect Bury Residents and the Local Housing Market

The Pyramid Park development is likely to have several effects on Bury residents and the local housing market. The addition of approximately 215 homes across Pyramid Park and Q-Park will contribute to meeting growing housing demand in the borough, particularly for town centre residential accommodation. The inclusion of extra-care accommodation as part of the Q-Park element suggests the scheme will cater to diverse housing needs, including older residents requiring supported living. The requirement to complete the development by March 2029 under the Brownfield Land Release Fund conditions creates a clear timeline that should accelerate housing delivery in the town centre.

For local residents, the transformation of a site that had become problematic due to antisocial behaviour and poor visibility should improve the overall environment and safety of the town centre area. The involvement of local firms including LK Group and Cheetham Hill Construction throughout Conlon’s contract means the project will support local employment and business growth during the construction phase. The development forms part of the broader Bury Town Centre Masterplan, suggesting it will be coordinated with other regeneration initiatives including transport interchange improvements.

From a housing market perspective, the delivery of around 138 homes at Pyramid Park and 77 flats at Q-Park will increase housing supply in the town centre, which may help address affordability pressures if a proportion is allocated to affordable housing tenure. The council’s stated brief on housing mix and tenure, shaped by local housing need, indicates the scheme will be designed to create a new community that improves people’s lives rather than purely market-rate development. However, the requirement to dispose the site to a private developer by March 2027 means the ultimate housing mix and affordability profile will depend on the final developer’s proposals and planning approval.