The land has laid dormant for years, now £15m could help see it transformed

A long-awaited housing scheme in Rochdale has finally taken a step forward after years of false starts.

The project, known as Station Gardens, will feature more than 200 homes on the former central retail park close to Rochdale train station.

Now, a £15m cash injection from the government’s community regeneration partnership will support the delivery of new homes, a new retail unit and a new public park.

The site has stood vacant for more than a decade.

Rochdale Council has said it will now explore a number of different funding options to deliver the scheme, but contractors are expected to start building out of the site this year.

The cash injection was announced by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) as part of a wider £20m funding injection for the borough. The funding will also support a project to breathe new life into empty town centre units by creating local craft workspaces, retail outlets and a youth arts centre to help community engagement.

It will also support the rebuilding of one of the buildings on Hopwood Hall College’s Rochdale campus to create an additional floor for Higher Education and Access Students.

 

 

The Station Gardens scheme is part of a wider redevelopment of the area around the borough’s main train station, with work to create a new public square and improved public realm in front of the train station set to get under way on site soon.

Councillor Danny Meredith, cabinet member for housing and regeneration at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “We’re delighted to secure funding for this vital project, which we have been working really hard to get delivered. This scheme will transform an empty brownfield site into much needed new homes, including affordable homes, and a high-quality public park and will bring huge benefits to the wider area.

“Situated just minutes from our newly regenerated Rochdale town centre and the train station, which gives easy access to Manchester, Leeds and the rest of the borough, this is a fantastic site for new homes.”

The project is also part of the borough’s wider rail strategy, which seeks to redevelop brownfield sites around the borough’s five railway stations, with up to 7,000 new homes and new employment sites.

 

 

Paul Waugh, MP for Rochdale, said: “I’m delighted that the government is helping to kickstart the delivery of this worthwhile project to build new homes on this key site close to Rochdale town centre and the Milkstone and Deeplish neighbourhoods.

“It’s vital that, instead of sitting around vacant, empty sites are put to use supporting the regeneration of our communities and the creation of much needed, high quality homes. I can’t wait to see this project get under way.”

George Lythgoe, Local Democracy Reporter