Rochdale Development Agency sets out investment plan
Rochdale Development Agency outlined an impressive package of investment
which is creating new business opportunities and supporting the local economy,
at the Northern Regeneration summit in Manchester today.
The Agency also paid tribute to all the hard work and commitment from a
range of public and private sector partners that has helped to make a reality
of long-term initiatives including Kingsway Business Park and the Housing
Market Renewal programme.
Chief Executive, John Hudson, acknowledged the difficult market conditions,
but said a package of investment was in place that would start delivering
dramatic results including:
- £9 million worth of infrastructure development due to be completed
at Kingsway Business Park this year and the first two businesses - Vindon
Scientific and Takeuchi now on site.
- The site for a new town centre transport interchange cleared with programme
entry status for £11 million DfT funding. The design team will be
appointed this year with completion scheduled for 2011.
- A £60 million municipal
riverside development to provide 300,000sq ft of office accommodation for
2,600 Council, NHS and private sector staff along with a new town centre
library, training and conference facilities. Restaurants and bars will
front a new riverside walkway with completion scheduled for the end of
2011.
- The approval of Metrolink into Rochdale train station now in place with
the TIF bid for Rochdale town centre gaining programme entry status for
Department for Transport funding.
- An OJEU notice to secure a developer will be placed at the turn of the
year to deliver a new shopping district on the site of the existing municipal
offices and bus station – (these will be demolished once the new
interchange and municipal offices are complete in 2011).
- £100 million funding from the Learning and Skills Council to improve
facilities including the redevelopment of Hopwood Hall College’s
town centre and Middleton campuses and a brand new sixth form college in
the town centre.
- Five new Primary Care Trust one-stop-shop health centres being built
and a replacement clinic has already opened for business, totalling
an £80 million investment.
- Nearly £13 million being invested in areas of Rochdale in 2008 and
2009 to improve the choice of housing through the Government’s Housing
Market Renewal programme with 54 larger modern homes at one of the first
developments - Nelson Place, Wardleworth - due for completion this autumn.
John Hudson, who has been Chief Executive of Rochdale Development Agency
since its launch in 1993 said: “Over the last 15 years seedling ideas
that to many seemed an impossibility such as Kingsway Business Park, have
not only sprouted but are beginning to flourish.
“A huge amount of work and tough negotiation went into securing the £75
million of public and private investment to make the vision for a business
park half the size of Manchester city centre a reality. A total of £350
million will be invested over its developing lifetime and we are now at the
stage where we are working hard to attract high value businesses, which will
create thousands of jobs and support our local economy over the next 10 to
15 years.
“For those of us who have lived and breathed it for the last 15 years,
the regeneration of our borough is at an extremely exciting time; we are
turning corners and starting to see those ideas and artists illustrations
become a physical reality. Regeneration is complex, takes time and is not
easy; but in Rochdale the efforts of a whole range of partners and organisations
are starting to make a difference.”
Speakers at the RDA workshop included Mike Hollows, Senior Development Executive
at North West Development Agency, Tim Newns, Director of Business Development
at MIDAS – Manchester’s Investment and Development Agency and
John McGuire, Chair of the Oldham Rochdale Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder.
They all acknowledged the difficult market conditions, but agreed the downturn
was the time to prepare for the future.
John Hudson added: “Nowhere in the UK is immune from the economic
implications and we are all coming to terms with the changed market conditions,
however I believe our existing strategies and plans remain the right ones
for the borough. There has been real progress in meeting our Renaissance
Masterplan ambitions. We will continue to push these forward where we can,
using public investment and our existing property assets to support and encourage
private investment. We will be seeking to maintain the momentum of regeneration
until market confidence is restored.”
Contact for further information:
For further information contact Gayle Nicol, IPB Communications, tel 0161
976 1414, 07786966016 email gayle.nicol@ipbcommunications.co.uk or Claire
Lane, IPB Communications Claire.lane@ipbcommunications.co.uk |
