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.

The old engine hall


The ground floor was once home to the town’s fire engines and now houses a new improved and expanded museum celebrating the work and sacrifice of the Greater Manchester Fire Service. Fireground is five times bigger than the previous museum, and shows previously unseen collections to go on public display for the first time. The project has restored the original features like the tower and the huge engine bay doors, and the creation of a brand new cafe. It’s supported by a £1.9m grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The old ballroom


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.

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Featured Projects


Regeneration work is happening across our borough. Here are some of the most important projects…

Rochdale Rail Corridor

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Rochdale Rail Corridor is an ambitious scheme to revitalise neighbourhoods throughout

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Culture and Placemaking

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Rochdale is a town rich in cultural and natural attractions, offering a mix of historical

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Stakehill - LIDP

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A consortium led by Rochdale Development Agency and made up of SSE Utilities Solutions

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