Council’s wish list for £43million funding

A list of potential funding bids for the Rochdale borough – totalling almost £43million – has been compiled by Rochdale Council.
 
The £42,925,000 list includes potential bids to the recently announced Growing Places fund and the European Regional Development Fund.
 
The Growing Places Fund has been set up by the Government to help generate economic activity. The Council has listed 8 possible bids for the fund as well as producing a ‘pipeline list’.
 
In total the list includes 18 potential bids.

The ‘pipeline’ includes the following:

• £6million to build new offices and small industrial units on Kingsway Business Park.
• £3million for the demolition and remediation of the bus station, multi-storey car park, bridge links and municipal offices
• £2.8m to create office development site at Central Retail Park
• £4.7m to improve access to Hilltop School, carry out improvements to The Strand and develop housing in Kirkholt.
• £2m to redevelop/refurbish the former Woolworths site.
• £3m to improve Maclure Road, Drake Street and Smith Street.
• £3m for a new car park at Rochdale railway station and a secure underpass.
• £3m to refurbish older commercial property as part of the heritage initiative.
• £350k to improve the Townhead Junction

Councillors have agreed that Pam Smith, Executive Director, and the Leader and Cabinet Member for Corporate Services and Economic Development, be delegated authority to prioritise bids for the Growing Places Fund - which is likely to be the next bidding opportunity.