Councillors clash over controversial regeneration plans

Local councillors have clashed over a controversial regeneration plan which could include demolishing a number of Rochdale’s famous Seven Sisters tower blocks.

Councillors have agreed to put out to consultation a draft ‘supplementary planning document’ (SPD) which would guide redevelopment of College Bank and neighbouring Lower Falinge.

The proposals set out a vision for a mix of ‘new and improved homes’, in addition to extra pedestrian and cycleway links and leisure facilities.

It draws on landlord Rochdale Boroughwide Housing’s masterplan which envisages a sustainable community with ‘a vibrant mixture of living, working and recreational opportunities’

The most controversial proposal within the masterplan, described as a ‘companion document’ to the SDP is the demolition of four of the Seven Sisters tower blocks, to make way for the creation of 120 new homes.

The SPD will go out for full public consultation, but councillors raised concerns about the merits of the scheme at a heated Rochdale Township Committee meeting on Wednesday.

Councillor Kathleen Nickson was particularly outspoken about the regeneration plans.

She said: “We have seen an awful of people in various settings that have come to see us as councillors to tell us that they are very, very upset by the way this is being dealt with.

“I think, for people who live in College Bank and Lower Falinge, this is not a consultation, it’s a done deal and was right from the beginning.”

Councillor Nickson, who represents Balderstone and Kirkholt added: “This decision was made a long time ago and I don’t think the consultation means anything at all. This is going to happen and we’re just going through a process.”

And Councillor Sultan Ali, whose ward includes College Bank and Lower Falinge said he had ‘grave concerns’ over the plans.

He said: “The plans look great, they are bound to because you are freeing up a lot of space, each one of those blocks houses up to 119 flats. How you are going to build 119 houses – even one-bedrooms – on that footprint is beyond me.”

Councillor Ali added: “I know that area being regenerated and redeveloped, etcetera, makes nice reading but it does break up a community, but in time we will build another community.”

However, the council’s housing chief, Councillor Daalat Ali, said there was ‘a lot of misunderstanding’ about the proposals.

He said: “Some of the things to consider is the whole scheme is not one or two years, are we are talking about over 20 years, around the ‘infirmary corridor’.

“I can assure councillors that people have been consulted, residents have absolutely been consulted to the hilt.”

Councillor Iftikhar Ahmed said he would be supporting the application as RBH’s development at Ashfield Road, in Deeplish, had made it ‘one of the best areas to live in’

Gemma Wood, head of redevelopment and regeneration at RBH, told the meeting that residents had been promised that they would be able to stay living in Rochdale town centre if that was their choice.

She added: “That links back to earlier comments (in the meeting) about community and keeping the community together, and that will really help with that.”

Ms Wood also said that, since 2016, RBH had visited every home and discussed proposals ‘face-to-face’ with 600 households.

She added: “I think it’s important to note that we have engaged with the community from a very early stage, rather than waiting until the detail is finalised.  I believe this will help us to shape the detail together with the community and get better options out of it at the end.”

Nick Statham, Local Democracy Reporter