Important chance to help with future development

Rochdale residents are being invited to an important event at the Town Hall on Monday evening (22 September) as part of plans to help shape development in the town up to the year 2026.

Rochdale Council has put together an ‘Issues and Options’ report for residents to comment on – the outcome of the consultation will be part of the Core Strategy for the council’s Local Development Framework, which will guide the future allocation of land in the borough.

At the public meeting on Monday, residents will be able to look at the maps of the proposals and talk to the council’s strategic planners about some of the sites suggested for development or protection from development.

Six possible options are being put forward that identify broad areas for development but do not allocate specific sites:

Allowing a fairly even development in the built up areas of the borough

Focusing development on regeneration areas

Focusing growth mainly on south Rochdale and south Pennines

Focusing growth mainly on Middleton and Heywood

Focusing substantial new development across the southern half of the borough

Allowing substantial new development across the borough including in north Pennines and north Rochdale

If development is focused in Rochdale, possible sites outside the built up area for new employment and mixed use development are south of Cripplegate Lane and west of the canal at Trub Farm, Castleton; north of the M62 between Oldham Road and Broad Lane. Other possible sites include Roch Valley on Halifax Road (between Smallbridge and Dearnley) and Dye House Lane in Smallbridge.

The report and a leaflet are available on the council website or from your local library or customer service centre.

If you can’t make the public meeting at Rochdale Town Hall on Monday night, you can still take part in the consultation by:

Commenting on the document online at www.rochdale.gov.uk/yourviews.

Completing a comments form available from your local library or customer service centre and returning it to a freepost address

Four public meetings are taking place, starting in Rochdale on Monday:

Rochdale Town Hall, Rochdale. Monday 22 September, 7-9pm.

Middleton Civic Centre, Fountain St, Middleton. Thursday 25 September, 7-9pm.

Heywood Township Centre, Bamford Rd, Heywood. Monday 29 September, 7-9pm.

Littleborough Coach House, Lodge St, Littleborough. Thursday 2 October, 7-9pm.