Rochdale Riverside development given the go ahead

Rochdale Riverside approved

A special planning and licensing meeting unanimously approved the town centre Rochdale Riverside project 'subject to conditions' on Monday (10 April).

The application will now be referred to the Secretary of State due to the large scale size of the project.

If the Secretary of State does not 'call in' the application for determination, a Section 111 agreement will be completed in lieu of a standard Section 106 agreement due to the Council's position as both landowner of the site and local planning authority.

A representative of the Leeds-based Quod Planning objected on behalf of Mars Real Estate Investment BV, owners of the Exchange Shopping Centre, requesting a 'poaching' condition to prevent shop owners in the Exchange from relocating to the new development and leave vacancies elsewhere in the town. No other objections were received.

Councillor Linda Robinson said business owners shouldn't be dictated to where they should do business, adding that this did not happen to Millgate in Bury when the Rock shopping centre was built.

Richard Purser, a representative of DPD Developers, said the development was an 'important milestone for the future of Rochdale Town Centre'. He added: "All successful towns embrace change [and we hope the development] brings vitality and viability back to the town centre."

The recommendation to approve was moved by Councillor Allen Brett and seconded by Councillor Robert Clegg.

The developers hope to begin Phase One in late summer this year.

This proposal is part of a wider £250 million investment and transformation in the town centre supported by the Rochdale Development Agency (RDA) and the Council, which is intended to strengthen the retail, leisure, cultural and educational provision within the town centre, and to improve public transport and the public realm.

The planning application by developers, Genr8 Developments, was submitted in November 2016.

The demolition of buildings and structures across the 4.4ha site has been part of extensively planned regeneration proposal for the east of the town centre.

It is anticipated the development will bring a number of financial/economic benefits, including during construction:

• 744 - 1,030 Full time equivalent employment opportunities created through the operational phase of the development.
• Approximately £10.8 - £15.7 million per annum from permanent jobs delivered in the local area.
• 143 temporary construction jobs over the 80-week construction programme.
• A one-off temporary construction employment value of over £4.2 million.
• Business rates generation of approximately £2.7 - £3 million annually to be retained by Rochdale Council.

The development has been split into two phases...

Phase One (detailed permission)

The Phase One area extends to 3.5 hectares and it will comprise four buildings which are arranged around a new retail street (known as Riverside Walk) which links between Baillie Street and Smith Street.

Phase One is programmed to complete over a 19-month build starting in Summer 2017 to allow for opening in early 2019.

The north block which fronts Riverside Walk is a two-storey building which would provide retail units (Class A1) and food and drink units (Classes A3/A4). The majority of the units would be arranged over two levels making use of a mezzanine arrangement.

Servicing would take place on the north side via a new service road which will be shared with the Wheatsheaf Centre.

Unit 15 has been assigned to Next and it lies adjacent to the Marks and Spencer (M&S) store. The Next elevation has a secondary access on its gable elevation which would lie adjacent to the pedestrian access to the car park.

The east block comprises the M&S store and the car park. This block would form a boundary with the new section of Baillie Street, John Street and Smith Street. The M&S Store would be serviced via an open yard which is accessed directly from Smith Street while its front elevation would face towards Riverside Walk and be visible from Smith Street.

The car park would contain 344 spaces and it would be arranged over two levels with access and egress taken from the new section of Baillie Street.

The south block which lies in between the town centre Metrolink stop and Riverside Walk is a part two-storey and part three-storey building providing retail units (Class A1) and food and drink units (Classes A3/A4), as well as cinema and a gym (Class D2). The cinema is located within the second floor to the west of the block and its main entrance would be from the north elevation, opposite the Wheatsheaf Centre.

A flexible unit is proposed underneath the cinema which could be used for food and drink uses or a gym or both. Servicing is provided in an internal service yard which is accessed from Constantine Road.

The other building which forms part of the development is a single storey food and drink unit, referred to as the ‘Pavilion’ (Class A3/A4), which is situated a public square, also referred to as ‘the Hub’, lying adjacent to the front elevation of the M&S unit and Smith Street.

The floorspace for each of the uses to be provided is set out below:

• Retail (Class A1) maximum floorspace circa 18,100m² including M&S department store.
• Food and drink uses (Classes A3/A4) maximum floorspace circa 4,400m².
• Cinema (Class D2) 6 screens floorspace circa 1,800m².
• Gym (Class D2) as alternative use to first floor circa 2,000m².
• Car park – up to 344 car parking spaces arranged on two decks (18 disabled and seven parent and child).
• Cycle parking – up to 50 spaces over two locations

The scheme has been designed to incorporate a contemporary architectural form and material palette. The main retail street (Riverside Walk) will feature a contemporary appearance with significant use of glazed frontages to the ground and first floors.

The front elevation of the M&S unit at the east end of the retail street features angled glazing while its rear elevation will be faced with a simple arrangement of cladding. The space in front of the M&S unit contains the pavilion, which is a detached building containing a feature angular roof, a design motif repeated in the car park access points.

The cinema building, which is of a greater scale than the other buildings within this phase, would be faced with metal copper toned cladding while its ground floor entrance would be glazed.

The car park is planned to be screened by a living wall to street elevations.

The development proposals include alterations to the existing highways network layout including the closing-off of Baillie Street from a point east of the Wheatsheaf entrance to John Street, replaced by a new, parallel route to the north to provide a link from Penn Street and John Street. This new section of highway will be used to access and egress the proposed car park.

Baillie Street will re-route from outside the Wheatsheaf Centre directly into the newly configured pedestrian central retail street leading towards the new M&S store. Here it intersects with a link north to Penn Street and future Phase Two and south from the square onto Smith Street, Number One Riverside and the transport interchange.

The new public space at Wheatsheaf Centre/Baillie Street will provide a focus for food and drink outlets complementary to the cinema to provide a concentration of uses to attract families and couples into the development and the town centre in the evening.

The public space outside the new M&S store will offer an opportunity for events and will become a key arrival space from the Transport Interchange and Metrolink, providing the link between Number One Riverside and the centre of town currently served by the temporary car parks.

Phase Two (outline permission with all matters reserved)

The Phase Two area extends 0.9 hectares and it is submitted with all matters reserved.

Phase Two will provide the office, hotel, residential and other commercial uses and is anticipated to take two years to complete. Phase Two will not commence until after Phase One is completed.

The matters reserved for later consideration and determination are:

• Means of access - covers accessibility for all routes to and within the site, as well as the way they link up to other roads and pathways outside the site.
• Layout - the way in which buildings, routes and open spaces within the development are provided, situated and orientated in relation to each other, and to buildings and spaces outside of the development.
• Scale - means the height, width and length of each building proposed within the development in relation to its surroundings.
• Appearance - the aspects of the development which determine the visual impression the development makes, including the external built form of the development, its architecture, materials, decoration, lighting, colour and texture.
• Landscaping - the treatment of land other than buildings for the purpose of enhancing or protecting the amenities of the site and the area in which it is situated, including soft and hard landscaping, earthworks, public art and boundary treatment

Phase Two of the development will provide further jobs, construction project jobs and additional business rates.

As well as the retail and leisure elements, the Rochdale Riverside development will also include 100 apartments right in the heart of the town centre. The developer's aim is to 'grow a sustainable neighbourhood'.

There will also be a new 100 bedroom hotel, offices and smaller retail, commercial and community uses at ground floor arranged around a third public space.

The development proposals as set out within the description of development and parameter plans, sections and illustrative sections, can be described as follows:

The indicative layout illustrates a single podium with undercroft parking to provide a base to form four buildings arranged around a central space. The layout would introduce west-east pedestrian links across the site between Penn Street and John Street as well as a new north south route between Penn Street and new Phase One retail development.

Due to change in levels across the site, 11m from north to south, it would be necessary to create a stepped entrance to the Phase Two site from the new Penn Street link. Together with the steps, a lift would provide access to the deck level.

Vehicular access into Phase Two would be achieved from a single point along the new Baillie Street link. The access would extend into the undercroft car park.

Servicing arrangements would be taken via a bay off the new Baillie Street link with potential for small goods vehicle access at deck level via Penn Street.

With respect to buildings’ heights and scale, each of the blocks would be between four to six storeys and they would be set around a landscaped public realm deck level.

The proposal does include illustrative elevations which show a contemporary approach. It is explained in the Design and Access Statement that it is recognised the buildings will need to be of the highest architectural quality to enhance the existing setting and fit in well within the contexts of this part of the wider application site, including heritage assets.

The area of Phase Two is proposed to be used temporarily as a car park for up to 173 temporary spaces. The spaces are for use in connection with the operation of Phase One and as a general town centre car park. Access will be taken from the new service road and Penn Street.

A spokesman for Town Centre Management said: “We are excited to support this development because we feel that it will bring the town centre back into use by more of the community. This majestic town centre needs such development to bring the town centre alive once more."

A spokesperson for Rochdale Development Agency said: “The development will be particularly important in terms of addressing the identified need for new retail and leisure provision, to help reverse the decline of the town centre and revitalise its offer.

"By significantly strengthening the town centre’s retail and leisure offer, the proposed development will generate a range of economic benefits within the local and wider area, including a significant number of full and part time jobs.

“It will improve well-being and social benefits through offering a vibrant new area and enhance the image of the town centre and improve the quality of the local environment, helping to create a distinct sense of place.

"The scheme will complement improvements already made in the town centre and mark Rochdale as key shopping destination, further adding to the on-going transformation of the town centre."

The scheme will be delivered jointly by Genr8 Developments and Kajima in partnership with Rochdale Borough Council. Julian Rudd-Jones, Managing Director Kajima Partnerships, said:
"This is a key milestone in realising the regeneration of Rochdale Town Centre in partnership with the Borough Council and other local stakeholders. We have supported Genr8 on this scheme since 2010 and look forward to starting on site later in the year."

Rochdale Riverside development - key views

• http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/107415/rochdale-riverside-development-key-views