A public consultation has been launched on plans to transform the former Central Retail Park into a thriving new town centre community – which is set to feature a mix of 200 houses and apartments (ranging from one to five-beds).
Local residents are now being encouraged to give their thoughts on Neighbourhood Rochdale ahead of the brownfield site’s renovation.
Designed to breathe life back into the area, Neighbourhood Rochdale will feature “stunning, design-led homes with beautiful architecture”, including modern, open plan layouts and energy efficient tech (plus electric vehicle charging).
The site will also include a food hall, general store, café-bar and flexible communal space, along with plenty of outdoor spaces for residents and the wider community to enjoy.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Rochdale plans also include a public linear park, with circuit training equipment, self-timed sprint track, kids’ play area, an outdoor pavilion for events and BBQ areas.
Capital & Centric
Tim Heatley, co-founder of Capital & Centric said: “Neighbourhood Rochdale goes beyond just building new homes, it’s about rebooting the town centre and creating a proper community where you can get to know your neighbours and make new friends.
ADVERTISEMENT
“That’s why we’ve included tons of shared spaces, which could be used for everything from yoga classes to kids’ parties or even a cinema night, and meeting pods for people working from home, and there’s also the food hall and outdoor events pavilion to bring in people from the wider community.
“As you’d expect from us, it’s going to be very green, with beautiful terraces for all the houses and lots of landscaped spaces and lush lawns.
“We’ve got loads of ideas but want to know what local people think so give us a shout”.
ADVERTISEMENT
Located just a short walk from both the Metrolink and train station – which offer an easy commute into Manchester city centre and access to the Peak District by public transport – the Central Retail Park site has been vacant for nearly a decade.
These new plans are part of the £400 million regeneration of Rochdale town centre and the council’s rail strategy, which will “level up the town centre” with 7,000 homes around the borough’s five railway stations.
Councillor John Blundell – Cabinet Member for Economy and Communications at Rochdale Borough Council – added: “I’d urge locals to get involved in this consultation, so they can help to shape what I’m sure will be a thriving new town centre community.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CE9RiVRgVCk/
Keen to have your say?
With a public consultation that closes on Friday 4 June, there are lots of ways that people can join the conversation and all feedback will be used to help shape the plans.
ADVERTISEMENT
A newsletter has been sent to over 5,000 households and businesses in the area with a tear-off freepost questionnaire (whcih can also be completed online here).
Residents can also join a live online Q&A with the team on Wednesday 26 May at 6pm, with sign-up via the website.
You can also ask any questions by calling 0800 689 1095 or emailing [email protected].
It is expected that a planning application will be submitted to Rochdale Borough Council in the summer.
Featured Image – Capital & Centric
Rochdale
Wizard and dinosaur-themed steam trains are back travelling through Greater Manchester this summer
Emily Sergeant
The popular wizard and dinosaur-themed steam trains are back travelling through Greater Manchester this summer.
The school summer holidays are just over a month away now, and that means East Lancashire Railway (ELR) is back with a whole host of immersive events that give curious Mancs the chance to step back in time by hopping on one of the historic Pullman-style steam train carriages through the picturesque Greater Manchester countryside.
Thomas the Tank Engine, Peppa Pig, and seasonal themed train rides are just a few of the events that have been entertaining families in the region over the last few years.
But by far two of the best-loved experiences on the lineup each year have to be the chance to go on a wizard or dinosaur-themed adventure… and thankfully, both are back yet again next month.
Wizard and dinosaur-themed steam trains are back travelling through Greater Manchester this summer / Credit: ELR
ELR’s Wizarding Adventure sees little Mancs come together for a magical day of sharing spells and getting stuck into lots of magic-themed fun, as aspiring witches and wizards of all ages are invited to enrol in the spellbinding school of sorcery.
They’ll go on a ‘wacky and wonderful whistle stop tour’ of the Wizard Academy and learn to become a master of mystery and magic during their interactive 90-minute journey through the ‘Irwell Valley of wonders’ hauled by a genuine steam – and spell – powered train.
If the Jurassic period sounds more up your little one’s street though, then the Dino Adventure is the one as it’s ideal for all budding dino enthusiasts.
This is your chance to take your little Mancs on an adventure / Credit: ELR
Step onto a specially dino-proofed steam train and journey into a prehistoric world, as you’ll get to meet ELR’s expert dino wranglers, come face-to-face with adorable baby dinosaurs, and enjoy a hands-on experience packed with discovery, excitement, and fun for the whole family.
“Whether your little ones are excited to meet dinosaurs or learn wizardry, there’s an unforgettable adventure waiting for everyone at ELR this summer,” commented Mike Kelly, who is the Chairman of the East Lancashire Railway.
“We’re proud to host events that ignite imaginations and create lasting memories, all set amidst the beautiful scenery of the Irwell Valley”.
The Wizarding Adventure and the Dino Adventure are coming to ELR next month on 20 and 27 July, respectively, as well as later dates in August, and you can find out more and get tickets from £17.50 online here.
Featured Image – ELR
Rochdale
Life-sized animal puppets to be paraded through Greater Manchester this summer
Emily Sergeant
Dozens of life-sized puppet animals are to embark on a journey through Greater Manchester this summer.
From the team behind The Walk with Little Amal – the Syrian refugee child puppet who made the journey across the world, and our borough, back in 2021 – comes a new life-sized spectacle called THE HERDS, which will visit Manchester as part of the opening of this summer’s Manchester International Festival (MIF).
The hugely-ambitious new public artwork is set to transform Greater Manchester into a ‘breathtaking untamed spectacle’ as a way of vividly dramatising the climate crisis.
Life-sized animal puppets travel will be travelling through the city centre, Heywood in Rochdale, and Pennington Flash in Wigan this July as part of their 20,000km journey from the Congo Basin to the Arctic Circle.
This is a public artwork on a scale never attempted before.
The animals are visiting Manchester as part of an epic journey – which began on 9 April from Kinshasa in the Congo – and as they cross different continents, the herd will grow in numbers and species including elephants, giraffes, antelope, lions, and others local to the area they are travelling through.
To help further highlight the scale of the climate crisis and the collective effort needed to fight it, the puppets are set to operated by local participants in each city – including in Manchester.
Because of this, Factory International and The Walk Productions are looking for amateur makers and DIY enthusiasts to join the puppet build, as well as 100 local people to help operate the puppets in Manchester, Heywood, and Wigan.
Life-sized animal puppets are being paraded through Greater Manchester this summer / Credit: Ant Strack
For the opening event of MIF25 on Thursday 3 July, THE HERDS first arrives in Manchester city centre and will scatter through the city’s main streets, so if you happen to find yourself between Cathedral Gardens and Market Street on the day, then you might just stumble upon them.
After opening MIF25, the animals are then abandoning the bustling city for the residential streets of Heywood in Rochdale on Friday (4 July).
For the final stop on their Greater Manchester journey, THE HERDS find a fleeting refuge in the wild beauty of Pennington Flash Country Park in Wigan on Saturday 5 July, and visitors are invited to explore the park’s winding trails and quietly observe as 70 life-sized puppets appear amid the trees and wetlands.
Amir Nizar Zuabi, who is the Artistic Director of THE HERDS, calls it a ‘a living breathing call to action that stampedes across continents’.
“THE HERDS is an urgent artistic response to the climate crisis,” he added. “Through the beauty and ferocity of these life-size creatures, we aim to spark dialogue, provoke thought, encourage engagement and inspire real change.”
You can see THE HERDS in Greater Manchester from Thursday 4 – Saturday 5 July.
Featured Image – Berclaire (for The Walk Productions)
Emily Sergeant -
21st May 2021 
