Construction giants signed up for £60m centre revamp
ACONTRACTOR has been appointed for a major £60 million development in the town centre.
Willmott Dixon are set to start work within days on plans for the creation of 242 brand new apartments for rent and a Hampton by Hilton hotel in the centre of Rochdale.
The construction giants, who recently built Rochdale Riverside, began enabling works last October, but have now been given the go ahead to carry out the main build - due to be completed in 2024.
Known as Upperbanks, the £60 million project is located next to Rochdale Riverside, which boasts a number of major retail names, including H&M, M&S and River Island, alongside leisure operators, including Puttstars and Reel Cinema.
Councillor John Blundell, cabinet member for economy and communications at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “The appointment of Willmott Dixon is another crucial step forward for this fantastic scheme, which will regenerate this key brownfield site, and create a brand new housing and leisure offer which is unlike anything we currently have in this area.
“Willmott Dixon is a known and trusted company, which previously constructed the Rochdale Riverside retail and leisure development.
“On that project, they contracted key local companies like Hovingtons, and created a number of local employment opportunities, including for ex-armed forces personnel. I’m looking forward to seeing them build on this track record to deliver wider social benefits once again this time round.”
The firm aims to ensure 40 per cent of its local spend is committed within a 20-mile radius of the site, while 75 per cent of it will be spent within 40 miles.
A number of work experience and apprenticeship and job opportunities will be made available, with the aim to deliver at least 15 sessions with local primary schools and over 100 weeks’ worth of apprenticeships.
The scheme has been awarded more than £20m of external funding, attracting more than £17m from the government’s Future High Streets Fund and more than £3m from the Greater Manchester’s Combined Authority’s Brownfield Development Fund.
Anthony Dillon, managing director for Willmott Dixon in the North, said:
“We are hugely proud to continue to play our part in shaping the future of Rochdale town centre and to be working in partnership once again with Rochdale Borough Council, Rochdale Development Agency, Genr8 and our architect partners Leach Rhodes Walker and KKA.
“We are committed to delivering brilliant buildings, transforming lives, strengthening communities and enhancing the environment so our towns are fit for future generations. This project will be built for the people of Rochdale by the people of Rochdale, and we will work with our local supply chain partners to create sustainable employment opportunities and a lasting positive legacy in this community.
“The local pride in Rochdale Riverside and the continued level of inward investment being attracted to exciting developments such as Upperbanks, make it a blueprint for vital town centre regeneration across the UK.”