'Eyesore’ land in the town centre will become home to new apartment block

Photo: Google, DigitalGlobe

The site of the former Ivesons store on Drake Street

A new five-storey apartment block is set to be built in Rochdale town centre.

A total of 33 one-bed apartments will be constructed on a piece of land off Drake Street. Now a vacant piece of grassland, it was once the home of Ivesons, a local furnishings and carpet retailer.

Following vacancy in 1998 the Ivesons stores fell into disrepair before ultimately being demolished in 2013.

According to the developer, Cassel & Fletcher, the site has now become an eyesore. Their plan would see an apartment complex which is part-four, part-five storeys tall erected on the land.

The ground floor level would accommodate two apartments, cycle storage for 22 bikes, bin storage, a plant room and the residential entrance lobby. The upper floors would contain the other 31 apartments.

There is no car parking to be provided in these plans. The developers highlighted that the homes will be within walking distance to the bus interchange and train station.

Planning papers read: “The site is located within a highly sustainable location in Rochdale’s town centre and benefits from the array of shops, amenities, services, facilities, and employment opportunities that this brings.

“The site is also very accessible by public transport, being only 230m (3 minutes’ walk) from the Rochdale Town Centre metrolink tram stop which provides frequent services to various stops, including those within Manchester City Centre.”

George Lythgoe, Local Democracy Reporter