Work begins on major housing scheme that will bring 81 new homes to Rochdale

Wednesday, 5 November 2025 23:16

By David Murphy

L-R: Anthony Dillon, northern director for Willmott Dixon, Paul Waugh, MP for Rochdale, Coun Danny Meredith, cabinet member for housing and regeneration at Rochdale Borough Council and Michael Poole-Sutherland, director

A long-abandoned site near Rochdale railway station is finally being redeveloped thanks to £15 million in government funding

Construction has officially begun on a major new housing development that will deliver 81 net zero homes near Rochdale town centre.

The brownfield site, located off Drake Street and just minutes from Rochdale railway station, has stood vacant for years. Now known as Station Gardens, the plot is being transformed into a new neighbourhood made up of two, three and four bedroom homes.

The scheme is being delivered by Rochdale Development Agency on behalf of Rochdale Borough Council, with Willmott Dixon appointed as the main contractor.

The development is being funded by £15 million from the government’s Community Regeneration Partnerships Fund, a successful outcome following an earlier failed bid under a previous government.

Councillor Danny Meredith, cabinet member for housing and regeneration, said the funding helped unlock a site that was “a key gateway into the borough”. He added: “We kept at it and were delighted to recently receive the money… These new homes will be a fantastic addition to this area.”

The homes will be a mix of social and affordable tenures and are expected to be completed by early 2028. They will be the first net zero homes delivered as part of any council-backed housing scheme in Rochdale.

The initiative forms part of the borough’s wider rail corridor strategy, which aims to bring new life to brownfield sites around Rochdale’s five railway stations. The town’s Station Gateway area is also undergoing wider regeneration, with a new public square and an apartment block on the corner of Maclure Road and Station Road due to start construction in early 2026.

Rochdale MP Paul Waugh welcomed the news and said the development would not only bring new homes but jobs too. “Working with Rochdale Borough Council, the GMCA and developers like Willmott Dixon, that means more affordable and social homes, as well as construction jobs for local people,” he said.

Michael Poole-Sutherland, director for the North West at Willmott Dixon, said the company wanted to leave a “lasting legacy” for Rochdale. “We will create employment opportunities for local people who have been long-term unemployed and will be engaging with students at Hopwood Hall College, Rochdale Sixth Form and Hollingworth High School.”

The firm has pledged 180 weeks of training as part of the development, including placements for T-Level and apprentice students.