THE former Prestwich Town Hall is to finally receive a much-needed facelift and be turned into luxury flats.

The Grade Two listed building has been plagued by vandalism since its closure as Manor Park nursing home, two years ago.

As reported in the Bury Times, gangs of youths had taken to congregating outside the building, off Scholes Lane, until the early hours of the morning.

Over the past 12 months, it has been daubed with graffiti and petrol bombed, and its owner, Mr Jamsheed Kamali, feared it would be burned to the ground before he could get his project up and running.

Bury planners approved an application by Mr Kamali's Prestwich-based KM Properties to transform the 19th-century villa into nine apartments, build a further nine flats, ten town houses and 12 garages.

Mr Kamali said he was delighted the plan had finally been approved and was in negotiations with Bury Council and local residents about the provision of a community centre as a condition of planning permission.