Local residents urged to give views on £100,000 art feature for Middleton
town centre
Middleton residents young and old are being encouraged to give
their views on a new eye-catching focal point for Middleton Gardens.
Rochdale
Development Agency has shortlisted three artists and landscape architects
and their designs will go on show at Middleton Shopping Centre main concourse
for three days from Thursday 31 July.
The landscaped artwork, being funded
by Tesco, will provide a gateway between the proposed store and the town
centre near Middleton Gardens. Construction is well underway on the state-of-the-art
Middleton Arena sports and entertainment centre and the development of the
store will start in January 2009.
Three organisations have submitted designs
that incorporate lots of ideas including street furniture, new signage, information
boards, planting and seating.
Martin Ledson from Rochdale Development Agency
said: “We hope that
the people of Middleton turn out in force to tell us what they would like
to see in this important location in the town centre. We want it to be a
public space that can be enjoyed by young and old. Exciting developments
are taking place in Middleton with the new Arena, Tesco store and recent
improvements to the bus station and shopping centre. This will be another
great attraction.”
The consultation will run from 10am to 4pm on Thursday 31st July, Friday
1st August and Saturday 2nd August. Representatives from Rochdale Development
Agency will be there to answer questions and encourage people to fill in
short questionnaires. Your views will be collated and considered by Middleton
Township Committee, who will make a final decision in September. The
installation will commence during 2009.
The Tesco store is expected to create
around 220 new local jobs. Construction of the Middleton Arena is being managed
by Barr and is expected to be completed by December 2008. |
