MIDDLETON TOWNSCAPE HERITAGE INITIATIVE
This £3m project has already seen several of Middleton’s architectural gems restored and protected for future generations.
Many of the buildings were designed by renowned Middletonborn architect Edgar Wood, a leading figure in the Arts and Crafts movement.
Work is currently ongoing on the £500,000 restoration of one of Middleton’s most important buildings, the 120-year-old Grade II-listed Long Street Methodist School.
Other high profile projects which have been completed as part of the THI include the awardwinning
Rochdale council’s director of economy John Searle says the aim is to make Rochdale a place ‘to be proud of.’
That means a thriving, attractive town centre, but also, vitally, creating quality, well-paid jobs in the borough.
He said: “We see the town centre as the barometer for the fortunes of the borough
“We want a town centre to be proud of. We’ve not had that for a few years really - we haven’t made the most of it.
“We want the kind of high street retailers that make people to want to come and shop in Rochdale and we want those people to have money in their pockets.
“That means having a borough that can provide enough jobs for local people, but they have to be quality jobs.
“We want to show you can make money in Rochdale.”