Rochdale’s investment success revealed

Date published: 15 November 2007

Over the past 14 years Rochdale Development Agency (RDA) has established an impressive track record and is now the leading economic and physical regeneration agency for the Rochdale area. 

A concentrated programme of public and private investment over the next decade is marking out Rochdale Borough as one of the region’s emerging investment "hot-spots".

Residents will soon be invited to consultation events on detailed plans by four developers on £100 million proposals to transform Rochdale town centre.

The outline proposals developed by RDA and Rochdale Council include a major extension of the retail centre, new riverside offices and homes, cafes and restaurants and new attractive public areas and car parking.

A public consultation on more detailed plans will take place next month by:

• Artisan Property Group and Neptune Developments
• Ask Property Developments and Sultan Properties Ltd
• Valad Property Group
• Wilson Bowden Developments Ltd 

RDA Director of Physical Regeneration, Phil Joyce, is today (15 November) speaking at a high profile national regeneration conference.

Mr Joyce, who joined RDA earlier this year, will talk to delegates at the Large Scale Regeneration Schemes Conference in Sheffield on engaging the private sector and securing inward investment.

This is an area that Rochdale has been particularly successful in recently, with £1 billion of investment earmarked for the borough in initiatives including the redevelopment of a new town centre, the 170 hectare Kingsway Business Park and plans for thousands of new homes and improved health facilities.

Mr Joyce said: "There is a huge transformation underway in the borough that will see millions of pounds of private sector investment deliver improved amenities, places to work, shop and do business. Our success is in part down to our relationships with the private sector – explaining our vision to investors and developers and involving them in early plans.

"Regeneration projects don’t happen overnight and often take years to come to fruition, so it takes patience and perseverance. Our board has very senior people from both the public and private sectors on it, including the Chief Executive and Leader of the Council, so this helps us bridge the gap when working with potential investors."

Other speakers at the Regeneration and Renewal conference include Patrick Stones, Development Director at Tesco, David Hughes, Regional Director of English Partnerships and Adrian Penfold of British Land.