Rochdale Development Agency celebrates its 30th anniversary

Rochdale Development Agency celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2023.

The RDA was the idea of Barrie Bernstein, a prominent manufacturer in the area who, through lack of support from the council at the time, had been forced to move his business, a kitchen manufacturer employing more than 1,300 people from Middleton to Bolton.

Being a Rochdalian, however, Mr Bernstein wasn’t prepared to let this go, he knew Rochdale could do better and he wanted to support the town. He had worked with John Hudson, then the head of planning at Bolton, on his relocation and knew that if they could work together to create an agency that would support businesses moving to the borough of Rochdale, the area would benefit greatly.

Following lengthy discussions and negotiations with Rochdale Borough Council, Rochdale Development Agency was established. Barrie was its first chair and was in the role for 13 years with John Hudson as its first chief executive.

Mr Bernstein was instrumental in establishing collaborative working between the public and private sector a model which continues to this day bringing with it many benefits to Rochdale’s residents and businesses alike.

In November 2006, Rochdale Borough Council granted Barrie its highest possible accolade, the Freedom of the Borough in recognition of his outstanding service to the area and, in particular, reflected the leading role he played in the founding of the Rochdale Training and Enterprise Council and the creation of the RDA.

 

 

It is fair to say that in 1993 the Rochdale borough was a very different place. Kingsway Business Park didn’t exist, nor did Heywood Distribution Park, Middleton Arena hadn’t been built and the River Roch in the town centre was still covered.

Over the past 30 years, the RDA in partnership with the council has secured and safeguarded thousands of jobs. It has helped local companies to grow and has worked with multiple agencies to attract companies to the borough such as Danish Crown, which according to the Financial Times, is the UK's biggest foreign inward investment post Brexit. When the plant is fully operational it will create 300 new jobs.
 

Read more: Global food company Danish Crown to open new processing facility at Kingsway Business Park next year, creating hundreds of jobsPublished: 22 November 2022

The RDA’s 30th anniversary is an opportunity to reflect on how far the borough has come, and see which projects are on the horizon.

2023 will see the Grade-I listed Rochdale Town hall reopen, and the living, working centrepiece of Rochdale: Upperbanks, which comprises of 242 apartments and a 146-bedroom hotel, will be completed in the summer of this year bringing high quality housing stock into the town centre.

Work will begin on the Advanced Machinery and Productivity Innovation Centre building at Kingsway, and Atom Valley, the Greater Manchester Mayoral Development Zone, will begin development.
 

Read more: Atom Valley plans given green light by Greater Manchester leadersPublished: 03 August 2022

Councillor John Blundell, cabinet member for economy and regeneration and RDA board member, said: “Looking back at the last 30 years in Rochdale, it is incredible how much progress has been made in physical redevelopment, investment into the area and most importantly the sheer number of jobs and opportunities secured for residents.

“I’m excited about the future of the borough and will make sure that we level up the area for the benefit of everyone”.