Touchstones

Touchstones, the boroughs major arts and heritage venue in the heart of Rochdale town centre, is undergoing redevelopment. This much loved building is to be transformed into a creative and cultural hub with new flexible performance and creative studio spaces, meeting rooms and improved galleries. Plans also includes a new dining space combining the theme of food with the borough’s collections, co-created alongside Rochdale’s diverse communities . ‘The Dining Room’ made possible by a National Lottery Heritage Fund grant of just under £250,000, thanks to National Lottery players, will see three artists commissioned to work with 20 community curators to produce a new museum and dining space for when it re-opens in 2025.

Culture and Placemaking

Rochdale is a town rich in cultural and natural attractions, offering a mix of historical landmarks, vibrant arts, and scenic beauty. From the grandeur of the Town Hall to the picturesque countryside and parks, Rochdale provides a wide range of experiences. The town hosts everything from intimate grassroots music events to lively family festivals, and from local theatre productions to museums showcasing the borough's rich history. There’s always more to explore and celebrate across the borough. That’s where the new Culture and Placemaking team comes in. Their mission is to support and strengthen Rochdale’s diverse Cultural Infrastructure and working with the sector to provide residents with the tools, expertise, and inspiration to thrive.

Richard Street Studios

Rochdale Development Agency, in partnership with Rochdale Borough Council, has opened Richard Street Studios, a new creative space forming part of the ambitious plans to support the development of the boroughs creative and cultural sector. Located by Rochdale train station, Richard Street Studios officially launched in April 2024, and offers an exciting range of creative workspaces tailored to the needs of Rochdale’s growing art and creative business community. With 7 studios, the space caters to both digital and messier creative disciplines, perfect for art, photography and scriptwriting, to sewing and design, providing the ideal blank canvas for studio workshops, events, showcases and small exhibitions.

In line with the boroughs commitment to achieving net-zero by 2038, the studios have undergone an intensive retrofit designed to minimise operational carbon emissions. This has included upgrading of floor, wall and roof insulation, the installation of air source heat pumps, and new LED lighting throughout. This much reduced energy demand is sourced from renewable tariffs.

With a range of tenancy options, including flexible space for daily hire, Creatives in the borough are being encouraged to register expressions of interest for the hiring of space through the Richard Street Studio website.

In addition to Rochdale Borough Council and Rochdale Development Agency, Rochdale Creates Space is supported by the European Regional Development Fund, UK Shared Prosperity Funding, and the Cultural Development Fund administered by Arts Council England.

Stakehill - LIDP

A consortium led by Rochdale Development Agency and made up of SSE Utilities Solutions Ltd, the Energy Innovation Agency (part of The Growth Company), Rochdale Borough Council and Stakehill BID Ltd, with support from the University of Manchester and asset owners UBS will work with tenants on Stakehill Industrial estate to produce a local industrial decarbonisation plan (LIDP). The collaboration will leverage world-class expertise and intelligence to develop a strategic decarbonisation plan that will set out how the estate realise Greater Manchester’s ambitions to be net zero by 2038.

Broadfield Slopes

Discover the rich history embedded in Broadfield Slopes, intimately connected to Rochdale's settlement and evolution. From traces of our ancient natural past to medieval structures, Broadfield Slopes hold a tale reaching back to the early medieval period. Serving as a vital link between the town's church and ford, the Slopes played a strategic role throughout history. The Slopes have a significance and relevance which spans the history of Rochdale and they have played a role in the major transformations which the town has seen since the early-medieval period.

During the development phase the project delivered a major archaeological programme with specialists from the University of Salford, with 5 trainees undergoing an intense training course for 10 weeks who were then offered paid contracts to run the community dig. A further 7 volunteers involved in carrying trial dig pits, and almost 1000 people involved in the community dig including over 150 local primary school children.

The three-week archaeological excavation, supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and supervised by GMAAS and the Slopes Dig Team, uncovered the substantial foundations of Charles Kershaw’s 19th-century Central Corn Mill, which was demolished in 1934.

Earlier remains included historic surfaces associated with the former Leyland House were discovered in a narrow trench placed slightly higher up the steep slope to the parish church. The excavation yielded fragments of 17th- and early 18th-century pottery and demonstrated a tantalising potential for earlier material to survive at a lower depth. BBC coverage of the dig can be found here.

The Heritage Fund acknowledgement guidance has recently been updated to be much clearer, including a very helpful toolkit – Acknowledging and celebrating your grant | The National Lottery Heritage Fund

Environmental projects

As well as our larger projects, we’re improving the look and liveability of our town and borough in a number of smaller ways. Our environmental projects aim to improve the look of property, enhance the public realm and make Rochdale a more attractive place to live, work and visit. Here are a few examples of our ongoing programme of environmental improvements.

We’re doing all this to create a safer, more pleasant town centre that continues to attract more shoppers and visitors. These schemes will complement larger projects like Rochdale Riverside, the Drake Street Heritage Action Zone and the Town Hall restoration, creating a connected network of historical, retail and leisure attractions.

Through this ongoing environmental programme, we’ll also encourage businesses to invest in their own properties, improving streetscapes throughout the town.

Rochdale Rail Corridor

Rochdale Rail Corridor is an ambitious scheme to revitalise neighbourhoods throughout Rochdale by building homes and workspace near to the Borough’s five railways stations. There are huge advantages to building near train stations. Commuting by train reduces carbon emissions, and people who live near stations tend to walk or cycle, further cutting environmental footprints while improving health. Living near a station allows more residents to work in Central Manchester or other parts of the region and also enjoy the quality of life advantages of living in Rochdale, which benefits the local economy.

The Station Gateway ill lead to an exciting new development at the former Central Retail Park. Willmott Dixon will be delivering a mix of energy efficient high quality modern homes and an apartment building aspiring to achieve Net Zero Carbon and highly sustainable design standards. The scheme will feature a new linear park, a community hub and a commercial space. On the doorstep of the train station, commuting into Manchester will only take 13 minutes or alternatively wandering into the new Rochdale Riverside shopping centre will only take 10 minutes.

Station Gateway

As part of the Rail Corridor scheme, Station Gateway will offer a new, more welcoming entry point to Rochdale for visitors and residents.

It will improve the sense of arrival, and - as the name suggests - provide a fitting getaway to the heritage, retail and leisure attractions of Rochdale town centre. Station Gateway plans include:

• A new, more welcoming platform and station experience

• The creation of a new Station Platform Park

• A new pedestrian square to provide arrival, community and event space

• A clear sense of place and wayfinding

• A gateway node to the wider region

• An interchange between transport modes

Upperbanks

The Upperbanks scheme in Rochdale town centre is a 242-apartment and a 146-room Hampton by Hilton hotel development, located next to the Rochdale Riverside retail & leisure scheme. The £60m scheme is part of the broader £400 million regeneration initiative of the town centre.

Community Photography

Get involved in Rochdale’s latest Community photography project; 'Rochdale at Work’. This project has been inspired by a 150 year old ceiling at Rochdale Town Hall and Rochdale residents will be are invited to take photos of people at work across the borough, to create a snapshot of Rochdale today, the work its people do and the industries which predominate in 2022.

Riverside Phase 1

Rochdale’s heritage isn’t just to be found in our historic buildings and neighbourhoods. It’s in our public spaces and cultural attractions, and in a bustling, diverse town centre. It’s also why we’ve invested heavily in Rochdale Riverside. The first phase of this ambitious scheme, a brand new retail and leisure complex, is now complete. Work on the scheme’s second phase is likely to start in 2021.

Taken together, the Rochdale Riverside projects will significantly increase the number of people living and working in the town centre, as well as the number of visitors to Rochdale. The developments are part of our holistic approach to town centre redevelopment, with signage and walkways linking Rochdale’s retail and leisure centres with its historic and cultural attractions.

Revealing The Roch

The reopening and revealing of the river Roch in 2016 was central to restoring the former glory of Rochdale’s town centre. The work revealed a stunning medieval bridge and created a charming backdrop for locals and visitors.

As well as giving visitors a glimpse of Rochdale’s glorious past, the project reduces the flood risk in the town centre. The opening has also helped to re-naturalise the river and attract new wildlife into the area. Brown trout, K ingfisher and Pied Wagtail s have all been spotted.

Rochdale Metrolink

Excellent transport links are central to Rochdale’s prosperity, and a new state-of-the art interchange connects the town to the rest of Greater Manchester. Metrolink, Greater Manchester’s tram network, is at the heart of the Interchange, which also includes a modern, well connected bus station. Metrolink trams arrive in the middle of town every 12 minutes, connecting Rochdale seamlessly to neighbouring towns and central Manchester (and its airport) beyond.

Rochdale Interchange is a bright, modern structure infused with natural light. Facilities include a travel shop, coffee shop and public toilets, and electronic departure boards provide real-time travel information. Buses from the Interchange cover much of Greater

Manchester and beyond, with regular services to Accrington, Burnley, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Todmorden and Rawtenstall.

Number One Riverside

The award-winning Number One Riverside is an impressive new home for council offices, the town’s central library and its public information hub. In 2020 the building hosted Dippy the dinosaur, the Natural History Museum’s touring diplodocus skeleton, in its imposing glass-sided atrium.

Number One Riverside is a multi-use public building which consolidates numerous council buildings into one, creating more efficient, joined-up services.

The building also includes a conference and training centre, Bean Coffee Shop and office space for other organisations and private businesses.

Heritage Action Zone

Drake Street is a historic thoroughfare from Rochdale station to the Town Hall, and was once the thriving commercial, cultural, social and civic heart of the town. Despite significant economic decline in recent decades, the area retains impressive examples of Georgian, Victorian and early 20th century architecture. It also has strong connections to the cooperative movement.

The scheme has secured £2 million of funding from the Partnerships Scheme in Conservation Areas (PSiCA) grant programme. This and other grants will be used for the repair, restoration and reuse of historic buildings including:-

• Converting historic buildings into high quality residential developments in Rochdale town centre – including schemes at 2 Smith Street and 19-21 Church Lane.
• Supporting the South Parade Property Improvement Scheme, which will restore buildings on historic South Parade and make public realm improvements.
• Contributing to the master planning of Neighbourhoods Rochdale, the development of more than 200 new homes at the junction of Drake Street and Milnrow Road, the site of the historic town centre canal basin.
• Repurposing the historic Butterworth Jewellers building into a hub for cooperative-based learning, enterprise and development.

What else is going on?

The HAZ is also an opportunity to involve the local community in exploring and celebrating our fascinating local heritage. Projects so far include:

• Rochdale Reimagined. A partnership with Manchester School of Architecture, with students developing concepts based on HAZ briefs, resulting in an exhibition at Number One Riverside and the creation of a book and learning resources for Rochdale schools.
• Rochdale Uprising Mural Festival. A week-long celebration of Rochdale and cooperation through street art, culminating in the creation of twelve large murals.

Rochdale Fire Station

Rochdale Fire Station is an art deco gem from the 1930s, and one of the town’s historic landmarks. The RDA was instrumental in securing £3.7m of funding for the scheme. The much-loved building is now a new museum space for the Greater Manchester Fire Service with a co-working office, Fire Up, for digital and creative start-ups.

Upstairs, the old ballroom has been transformed into Fire Up, ran by GM Business Growth Hub, the space is a vibrant new co-working space for start-up businesses. Historic features in the space, including the stained glass on the ceiling, has been carefully restored.

The RDA helped secure a £1m grant from the government’s Town’s Fund acceleration fund along with a £699,774 investment from the European Regional Development Fund.

The bigger picture

The project is at the heart of the Station Gateway area, part of the council and RDA’s new rail strategy, which aims to revitalise land around the borough’s five railway stations: Rochdale, Castleton, Littleborough, Smithy Bridge and Mills Hill. Long term, the strategy aims to create 7,000 new homes along the Rochdale rail corridor alongside new business space, enhanced public realm and other community facilities.

Town Hall

Rochdale Town Hall is widely-regarded as one of the UK’s finest examples of Victorian gothic architecture. The Grade-I listed building was designed by William Crossland and opened in 1871 as a symbol of the town’s industrial standing in the textiles trade. According to Historic England, its ornate stylings are rivalled only by the Palace of Westminster. In 2021 work commenced to restore the building to its former glory, some 150 years after it was completed. The extensive work being carried out will create an open and accessible community space featuring exhibition rooms and a new Bright Hall for community events to take place.

The building also had a crumbling drainage system, leaking roof and darkened, dust-smeared windows and wood panelling. All things that needed urgent attention.

In January 2021, the first of two phases in the restoration got under way. This work continues with phase two through to a planned re-opening in late summer 2023

Projects Phases

Phase One

Funded by the council, this phase, now complete, saw major structural work being carried out:

• Asbestos was removed
• The old electrical system removed
• The building’s drainage system was modernised
• Structural work was carried out to create openings for new lifts and access points
• Partition walls and mezzanines were removed
• Protection of the stained glass windows and wood panelling was put in place
• Foundations for the new terracing around the town hall were put in place
• Scaffold was installed to ready for the roof to be worked on
• A new fire protection system was put in place
• Cleaning of the external stonework started

Phase Two

In the summer of 2021 phase two began. This major, time-consuming, labour-intensive operation will continue right up to re-opening in early 2024.

Funded by both the council and by The National Lottery Heritage Fund this will see:

• Internal repairs and cleaning to stonework
• Restoration of stained glass windows, including the Cromwell window, which was removed and taken to studios in York for preservation. The Cromwell window depicts Charles I, Oliver Cromwell and Charles II side by side.
• External repairs including roof works, stone repairs and pointing
• Window replacements to make the town hall waterproof
• The removal of poor quality mid-late 20^th century alterations and partitions continues
• Reducing fire risk with an updated fire system
• Making the building fully accessible with a new lift and staircase in the clock tower with new terracing around the building
• Providing adequate toilets facilities on all floors
• Specialist cleaning of the delicate painted interiors in all heritage rooms such as the Great Hall, Mayor’s Parlour and the main reception
• Making the building more environmentally sustainable with improvements to the roof insulation and new glazing
• A new secure and inviting entrance to the building to be known as the Welcome Gallery
• Making the building a better setting, making it safer and more welcoming as a first class event space
• Creation of a new Town Hall Square, a pedestrianised area which will feature plants and lawned areas with a carpet of historic paving stones with unique, etched inscriptions inspired by historic symbols found inside the town hall. There will also be new benches with designs linked to Rochdale’s history.