New homes plan for former Carcraft site

Plans to build more than 100 brand new homes on a derelict brownfield site in Castleton have been submitted to Rochdale Borough Council.

Proposals for the Carcraft and Marland Mill site on Nixon Street also include the allocation of land for a new primary school, catering for 420 pupils.

The application for 102 three and four bed family properties has been submitted by Hive Homes, a profit for purpose joint venture between the GMCA and ten leading housing providers.

If approved, the redevelopment will represent a £17.5m investment into the area, and bring a better mix of housing to Castleton, which is currently dominated by terraced properties.

The Carcraft site was previously the home of Castleton Moor Mill which was demolished in the 1960s to make way for the first Asda supermarket in Rochdale.

 

 

As well as reviving a previously unused brownfield site, the plans form a key part of the council’s rail corridor strategy, which seeks to use Rochdale’s transport links as a catalyst for further economic investment in the areas around the borough’s five railway stations.

The council and RDA are currently creating brand new masterplans for each of these areas, with aspirations to create up to 7,000 new homes along the rail corridor.

If the application is approved, work to build out the site is set to start early next year, with the homes, which will be for private sale, expected to be available in 2022.

Councillor John Blundell, cabinet member for a thriving economy at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “Our rail strategy is about taking advantage of our great connectivity, one of our most important economic assets, to drive forward more regeneration projects across the borough. By building close to railway stations, we’re giving people good quality new homes with great transport links, so they can easily access jobs and leisure opportunities both within Rochdale and all along the rail line, from Leeds to Manchester.

 

 

“Since launching our rail strategy earlier this year, we’ve already signed an agreement with Capital and Centric to create 200 new homes close to Rochdale railway station, as well as securing millions in external funding to continue our redevelopment of the Greater Manchester Fire Service Museum, which is also in this area. It’s great to see yet another project being progressed as part of this strategy, this time in Castleton, which will play a big role in our next phase of regeneration in the borough.”

Ed Milner, project director at Hive Homes, said: “Hive Homes are delighted to be bringing forward this much needed housing development with Homes England and Rochdale Council. This is the second scheme secured by Hive in Rochdale in the last twelve months and with a third scheme in Heywood now in the pipeline, we are looking forward to making a real impact in the borough."