The long-awaited redevelopment of a vacant brownfield site close to Rochdale town centre has moved a step closer, following a multi million pound funding award from the government’s community regeneration partnership.
The £15m cash injection will support the delivery of new homes and a new public park on the former central retail park close to Rochdale train station, which has stood vacant for more than a decade.
The scheme, known as Station Gardens, will feature more than 200 homes, which will include apartments and houses, and a park for the use of the wider community, as well as a retail unit.
The council will now explore a number of different funding options to deliver the scheme, but the funding boost has given it a much needed jumpstart and contractors are expected to start build 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 rebuild 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.
In addition, 33 new build to rent apartments will be created on the corner of Maclure Road and Station Road, just across the road from the train station, using funding from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s (GMCA) brownfield land fund. Contractors are expected to start delivering this scheme in late spring.
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.”
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