Developers invited to open day on Rochdale town centre redevelopment
Developers
are being given the chance to find out about a major opportunity to redevelop
Rochdale town centre with a new retail heart along with offices, housing
and leisure facilities.
Rochdale Borough Council will hold an open
day on Tuesday 16 December in Rochdale Town Hall to give interested developers
the chance to hear a presentation on the opportunity and ask questions, ahead
of a notice being placed in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU)
early next year. It will also enable the council to gauge the level of developer
interest in the project prior to issuing the formal invitation.
A Prior Information Notice will be
placed in early December and a website - www.rochdaletowncentreopportunity.co.uk will go live, aimed at giving interested developers a wealth of background
information on the proposal.
The redevelopment
site will include land currently owned by the Council such as the existing
Municipal Offices and bus station, which are earmarked for demolition to
enable the centre’s transformation. A site for a
new transport interchange has already been cleared and £13 million
funding secured. A programme of commercial acquisitions is progressing with
speed to clear way for a new £60 million Council HQ by 2011, funding
arrangements for which are also agreed.
Roger Ellis, Chief Executive of Rochdale
Borough Council said: “We
are looking for innovative solutions to regenerate our town centre. There
is significant public sector finance carving the way for longer-term private
investment which we believe offers added security to interested partners
during this more challenging economic period. The chosen developer would
work with and be supported by a range of partners including the Council,
Rochdale Development Agency, English Partnerships, North West Regional Development
Agency and Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive.”
The tender
is being re-run following a European test case last year.
John
Hudson, Chief Executive of Rochdale Development Agency said: “We
now have the benefit of the last selection exercise and the public’s
response to help guide the new invitation to developers. We can also offer
even greater certainty this time having secured funding for the town centre
transport interchange and with plans progressing for the new riverside Council
headquarters, which will enable demolition of existing buildings to clear
an impressive site for a new retail quarter. We would encourage all interested
developers to come along to the open day and hear directly about how the
process will work and the many benefits of investing in Rochdale’s
future.”
The OJEU notice is likely to be placed in February/March, with a shortlist
announced around May. There will then be a public consultation and closed
dialogue period with a final decision expected to be made by Rochdale Council’s
Town Centre Committee early in 2010, leading to a start on the redevelopment
scheme in 2011 or 2012.
For further information contact Gayle Nicol, Senior
Consultant, IPB Communications
tel 0161 976 1414, mob 07786966016 email gayle.nicol@ipbcommunications.co.uk |
