Huge town centre redevelopment stalls as the project is waiting on cash injection

A huge town centre redevelopment in Rochdale that would see over 200 homes built as well as a new park and gym has seen little progress in two years.

In December 2022, the council’s planning committee granted approval to the scheme that would see the land at Central Retail Park completely transformed. The site, which was previously home to Wynsors, Focus and MFI, has seen very little change since getting approval.

The scheme includes a six-storey building boasting 142 apartments and a further 81 town houses.

A ‘green corridor’ has also been proposed across the seven-acre site which lies between Oldham Road and Drake Street, close to the town’s railway station.

The other section of the plot is set to be rejuvenated as part of the authority’s wider Station Gateway plans for a 1,500 home ‘urban community’.

The only real change that has changed with the plans is the buildings are set to be brown rather than grey, according to recently submitted amendments to the proposals.

 

 

Rochdale Development Agency (RDA), the developer, has said they are waiting on further funding before work can start.

Given RDA has three years to commence building work, they may need to get renewed planning permission if they don’t start work before December 2025.

The scheme hoping to get going if the town was granted ‘Levelling Up’ cash that was divided out under the previous Conservative government... but the council missed out on that.

Town hall bosses were left disappointed at the beginning of 2023 after hearing their Levelling Up fund proposal – which would have seen £20m go to Rochdale and £10m to Heywood and Middleton respectively, was unsuccessful.

 

Despite this setback, the council has ploughed on with their ambitious plans to regenerate the borough and Rochdale town centre itself.

Proposals tabled in March would see the area around the station overhauled – providing a gateway into the borough via a new public square in front of the station entrance.
 

Read more: Station Square transformation granted planning permission – despite losing out on £20m ‘Levelling Up’ cashPublished: 02 August 2023

Both the Rochdale gateway and the Central Retail Park plans form a key part of the borough’s wider rail strategy, which seeks to develop brownfield land around Rochdale’s five railway stations, with new homes, businesses and improved public realm and transport connections.

George Lythgoe, Local Democracy Reporter