Planning permission has been granted for a 27-home affordable housing scheme in Rochdale town centre, with developers confirming the properties will be let at below-market rents.
The development, led by Great Places Housing Group, will see a three-storey apartment block built alongside four four-bedroom terraced homes. The apartments will be a mix of one and two bedrooms.
The land north of Drake Street, between Broadfield Stile and St Albans Street, has sat empty since 2013 and has become overgrown with vegetation.
Social rent plans
Great Places Housing Group intends to make the complex available for social rent, which is less than 60 per cent of market rate, providing a mix of apartment accommodation and larger family homes.
The new homes would be close to town centre shops, as well as a short walk from Rochdale station and Broadfield Park, a Grade II Registered Park and Garden.
Location and amenities
Planning papers describe the application site as being within a sustainable urban area, with good access to local services, facilities and public open space due to its central location.
The surrounding area includes schools, community facilities, medical facilities, shops, food and drink uses, and public transport interchanges within comfortable walking distance.
Broadfield Park is located immediately to the north of the site, providing direct access to public open space, informal recreation and amenity. The site is also within walking distance of Rochdale town centre, where a wider range of shops, services, employment opportunities and public transport connections are available.
Approval granted
The proposal benefits from a close relationship with existing local amenities and green infrastructure, which supports the principle of residential development in this location and helps reduce reliance on private car travel by enabling future residents to access day-to-day facilities on foot, by bicycle or by public transport.
With planning permission now granted by Rochdale council, work can begin on the scheme.
