Planning application for new entrance to Wheatsheaf Centre submitted

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Wheatsheaf Centre walk way to be demolished and a new entrance is to be built on Baillie Street

A planning application for a new £2.5 million entrance to the Wheatsheaf Centre on Baillie Street has been submitted to Rochdale Council.

The new entrance is being paid for by Rochdale Council as part of a deal with the owners of the shopping centre to remove the existing overhead walkways to pave the way for town centre redevelopment on the current bus station/black box site.

As well as the new entrance, the planning application, submitted by KPMG of East Belfast, seeks a change of use of the existing management office and library to two shop units and management suite and other internal improvements to include the provision of lifts and escalators.

The shopping centre, managed by Huddersfield resident Martin Ballard, has struggled badly since going into receivership three years ago and then losing its anchor store, T J Hughes, leaving a gaping hole in a high profile position within the centre.

In March 2011 Rochdale Council took a decision to submit a bid to buy the shopping centre, however, negotiations floundered.

Since then a number of other retailers have pulled out of the centre, including most recently Greenwoods, and there are now six out of 27 units in the centre empty, one of the previously empty units having recently been let to a pay day loan company.

Planning Deadlines

Neighbour Consultation Expiry Date: Fri 11 Oct 2013
Standard Consultation Expiry Date: Tue 08 Oct 2013
Target Determination Date: Thu 24 Oct 2013
Determination Deadline: Thu 07 Nov 2013