Final plans submitted for new hotel and apartment blocks in Rochdale town centre

This is the first glimpse of how a £50m scheme including a new hotel and hundreds of apartments in Rochdale town centre could look.

Full plans have been submitted for the next phase of the flagship Riverside regeneration project, which has already brought a new shopping centre, cinema and mini golf complex to the heart of the town.

The detailed application includes proposals for two nine-storey blocks, featuring 240 one and two-bedroom apartments. The new homes would offer ‘city centre’ style living at ‘affordable rents’.

The seven-story hotel would boast 147-rooms, while permission for 4,000 sq m of office space would only be built out if an occupier is secured.

The development is adjacent to the Rochdale Riverside complex and includes the site where Baillie Street health centre stood and the former site of the Pentagon Vauxhall dealership alongside John Street.

The scheme is part of a joint venture between Genr8 Developments and Kajima, in collaboration with Rochdale Development Agency and Rochdale Council.

 

 

Preparation work began at the site in October, with construction expected to get underway next year.
 

Read more: Work to begin on site for 240 new homes in Rochdale town centrePublished: 16 October 2020

Mike Smith of Genr8 Development said the application was a ‘significant step forward’ which would support the council’s ambitions for town centre housing while providing a ‘step change’ with the delivery of the new hotel.

He said: “The success of projects such as Rochdale Riverside has created a brilliant foundation for the next phase of regeneration and it’s great to see the retail and leisure element of the scheme now 87% full, with a fantastic mix of occupiers. 

“We are committed to delivering more of the vision we set-out to create a development that’s future-focused and community driven.”

 

 

Leader of Rochdale Council, Allen Brett, has also welcomed the continuing progress of the borough’s £400m town centre renewal plan.

He said: “Creating high quality new homes and redeveloping eyesore brownfield sites is a key focus for us as we continue with our ongoing regeneration programme, which has seen hundreds of millions invested across our borough over the last ten years.

“The incredible financial challenges the pandemic has presented us has made this continued economic growth even more important and, with investment continuing to pour in, we’re very much pressing ahead with our plans to make the borough an even better place to live and work.”

Nick Statham, Local Democracy Reporter