Eighty-one two, three and four-bedroom homes are currently under construction on vacant land next to Rochdale's Central Retail Park, part of a wider scheme to create a connection between the train station and the town centre, town hall bosses say.
The development, known as John Rennie Place, honours the late Scottish civil engineer who masterminded the Rochdale Canal. It got under way in November last year and is due for completion in December 2027.
Wider regeneration plans
The wider regeneration of the area around Rochdale railway station also involves the creation of a new public square in front of the station and 33 new apartments on a brownfield site on the corner of Maclure Road and Station Road. Work to create 142 apartments next to the new homes is ongoing, with the procurement of a delivery partner expected to get underway soon.
The train station in Rochdale was once a hub for industrial business generations ago, so the distance between the station and the town centre was a purposeful separation. But as times changed, society changed and the station suddenly started transporting people, not goods. This is why there is an idea to improve access and avenues from the station and the main hub of the town.
Funding and local benefits
The project, approved years ago, was unlocked following a successful bid for £15m from the government's Community Regeneration Partnerships Fund. The transformation has been on the cards for a long time, but the local authority struggled to get the investment until last year.
The properties will be the first affordable net zero homes delivered as part of a housing scheme supported by the council. The local authority says the development is already delivering benefits to the local economy and community.
Contractor Willmott Dixon, working on behalf of the council, has already spent £3.3m with local civil engineering firm Hovington Ltd, and supported a total of 95 weeks of apprenticeship and T-Level training, including three T-Level placements from Hopwood Hall College. Seven local people are also employed on the project, including two people who were previously unemployed, with the council's work and skills team supporting the recruitment.
Local voices on the project
Tommy Patterson, 22, from Middleton, is one of the local people working on the new homes. He said: "I had been out of work for six months when the job centre arranged for me to get my CSCS card and that led to me securing a scaffolding apprenticeship here on site. I have always worked and had been let go, so getting this job was a lifeline. I live on my own and I was struggling to pay my bills. It's great to work here. Everyone is lovely; it's a smashing team."
Daniel Fletcher, 17, is studying for a T Level in design, surveying and planning at Hopwood Hall College. He said: "I really like it here. I've been talking to the different trades delivering this project, so I've been exposed to different parts of the job, and I have the freedom to go onto site on my own. It's already changed massively since I started in the summer."
The project is being led by Rochdale Development Agency (RDA) on behalf of Rochdale Borough Council. Councillor Danny Meredith, cabinet member for housing and regeneration at Rochdale Borough Council, said: "We want local people and businesses to feel the benefit of local projects and it's great to see that these benefits are already being felt on this development before a single house has even been completed. By ensuring that social value is embedded in our procurement system, we're making sure that local people are invested in the extensive regeneration which is taking place on their doorstep and are benefitting from the economic transformation we're spearheading across the borough. That's how it should be and how it will continue to be."
