Rochdale SUN

Final Report for Rochdale Development Agency

By URBED King Sturge and TPP

November 2005 A report by URBED, Kings Sturge and TPP for the Rochdale Development Agency

Summary

1. Introduction 1 2. Inner Rochdale 3 2.1 Population 5 2.2 Economy 8 2.3 Housing market 0 2.4 Commercial market 4 2.5 Access and Transport 6 2.6 Urban Form 20 3. Neighbourhood Profiles 23 3.1 Spotland and Falinge 24 3.2 Sparth 26 3.3 Milkstone and Deeplish 28 3.4 Newbold 30 3.5 Kirkholt 32 4. Framework for intervention 34 4.1 A recovering housing market 36 4.2 Problems with the housing stock 38 4.3 Regeneration principles 40 4.4 Regeneration Strategy 42 4.4b Comprehensive development areas 43 4.4b Restructuring the terraces 44 4.4c Renewed social housing areas 46 4.5 Ownership and control 48 5. Spatial Framework 49 5.1 Intervention areas 51 5.2 Spotland And Falinge 54 5.3 Sparth 58 5.4 Milkstone and Deeplish 62 5.5 Newbold 66 5.6 Spatial Framework 70 6. Business case 74 7. Conclusion 81

Appendices - Neighbourhood Profiles

1. Spotland and Falinge 2. Sparth 3. Milkstone and Deeplish 4. Newbold 5. Kirkholt

A report by URBED, Kings Sturge and TPP for the Rochdale Development Agency

In which we summarise the strategy set out in this report.

This report sets out a strategic framework for the renewal of the housing markets of the inner Rochdale neighbourhoods of Spotland and Falinge; Deeplish and Milkstone; Sparth; Newbold; and Kirkholt.

However our concern is about more ties, where they enjoy good quality than just the value of housing – we housing and a civilised and safe public have called this study the Rochdale realm. Neighbourhoods where they are SUN because our aim is to create a set not stigmatised by a poor image and of sustainable urban neighbourhoods where they have access to the mutual around the centre of Rochdale. support of a strong community. When This draws upon URBED’s these qualities can be created people work through the Sustainable Urban choose to stay in a neighbourhood and Neighbourhood (SUN) Initiative that has put down roots while others wish to been exploring how to create neigh- move in creating, both a healthy hous- bourhoods that are socially, economi- ing market and a popular community. cally and environmentally sustainable. These aims lie at the heart of This means neighbourhoods that the HMR process. They also form a people live in out of choice rather than central part of the Rochdale Borough necessity; neighbourhoods where peo- Renaissance Masterplan. This sets a ple have access to a range of facilities, new course for Rochdale in the light of services and employment opportuni- the changing economy and the need to improve the conditions for local the consultation people suggested that people. As the vision says; ‘critical Victorian terraces: The Victorian ter- the communities were more vulnerable opportunity lies in linking the Housing races that make up much of Spotland and there is a fear that problems could Market Renewal Fund with ongoing key and Falinge, Sparth, Milkstone and materialise in the future particularly as initiatives.... to transform the quality of Deeplish and parts of Newbold. They surrounding areas improve. the physical environment and and at- are characterised by growing Asian tract private sector investment’. It goes communities that have been reluctant A strategy for transformation on to set out seven key topics, the first to move away from these neighbour- of which is the creation of sustainable hoods. Population growth and a limited These types of area require different neighbourhoods, which is our prime housing supply has pushed up prices strategies. However we conclude from concern with this report. while leaving very few voids and severe this analysis that in neither case can problems with overcrowding. Low we pursue the type of demolition and Understanding the neighbourhoods levels of income mean that households clearance strategy being undertaken are unable to borrow against the equity in other HMR areas. The strength of It has been vital for us to understand in their home so that the condition of the communities and the value of the the nature of the five neighbourhoods the stock is deteriorating. housing stock makes this impossible. and their role within the borough. In We must therefore find other ways of Section 2 we therefore look at the Social housing areas: The social hous- bringing about radical change. In Sec- people, the economy, the market, ing areas of Kirkholt, central Newbold tion 4 of the report we therefore set transport links and the urban form of and the Falinge and Freehold Flats face out a series of regeneration principles Inner Rochdale. In Section 3 we looked different issues. The communities of for, what might be called, ‘careful in detail at the nature of each of the Kirkholt and Central Newbold are largely urban renewal’ based on: neighbourhoods guided both by our with low incomes. Progress made on research and by consultations with the Decent Homes Standard means Creating a series of sustainable local residents. This draws particularly that the quality of the housing is good neighbourhoods. on our tour of the area in the Rochdale and affordability issues elsewhere Linking these neighbourhoods to SUN Bus. means that demand is high and voids overcome isolation and to ensure This work has given us a are very low. These areas do however passing trade for shops. good understanding of the five neigh- suffer from a stigmatised reputation bourhoods. The picture that emerges and a high turnover of properties. In Accommodating a changing distinguishes two broad types of area: A report by URBED, Kings Sturge and TPP for the Rochdale Development Agency

employment base by converting propose that land is acquired in these two scenarios. run-down employment areas to areas alongside a strategy to relocate

mixed-use neighbourhoods industrial uses to create sites for just The first scenario, assumes a over 1,000 homes. relatively strong housing market

Building and strengthening local This new housing would be and proposes the demolition of just communities by undertaking no developed by the council’s develop- under 900 of the 5,800 terraces in demolition until new housing has ment partners in consultation with local the area. It then suggests the refur- been completed. communities. There would be a series bishment of a third of the remainder of incentives to encourage households (1,600 properties) through an Encouraging a broader range of to move out of terraces into this new equity investment scheme. people and social groups to live in property (such as part exchange and the area by increasing the range of The second scenario assumes that equity sharing). These incentives would housing. the new build weakens the terraced be available to anyone in the HMR market so that just under 1,900 Reinventing a role for the terraces as areas and the housing would also be properties are demolished with a the first rung on the housing ladder. marketed at incoming and more affluent third of the remainder (1,300) being households. This would allow the Asian Creating a structure in which this refurbished. communities to spread, taking pressure can be guided and controlled by off their core communities, while creat- local people. Renewing social housing areas: The ing truly multi-cultural new neighbour- third leg of the strategy is the renew of hoods. These aims compliment those of the the social housing estates through the Borough Renaissance Masterplan. The redevelopment of the heart Newbold Restructuring the terraces: As people aforementioned principles are devel- and Kirkholt. We propose the demoli- move into the new housing the remain- oped into a strategy with three legs: tion of properties based around the ing terraced areas would be assessed Guinness Estate in Newbold and sug- as part of a strategy to ‘reinvent the Comprehensive Development Ar- gest that area running from the Strand terraces’. This could include demolition eas: We identified 19 ha of land for to Hilltop School in Kirkholt should be and redevelopment, radical restructur- new housing. This is in three areas, taken forward and planned.The levels of ing or refurbishment, the exact nature Lower Falinge, Sparth Riverside and demolition will depend on more detailed of the strategy depending on the hous- the Maclure Road/Canal basin area. We work however the majority demolitions ing market. We have however looked at will be low-demand single-bed flats. more fully as part of the masterplanning This creates an opportunity for the phase of the study. However we development of a new mixed-tenure concentrate here on identifying the heart for these estates as a way of areas of change through a ‘hard and overcoming their sense of isolation with soft’ exercise undertaken as part of our new links to increase permeability. research and consultations. Through this we identify the areas for new-build, Community control: We suggest that the reinvention of terraces and the this regeneration strategy should be redevelopment of social housing areas. underpinned by a community empow- This is combined with an assessment erment strategy based on a Community of neighbourhood territories to iden- Land Trust. This would be a body that tify the network of communities that used Housing Market Renewal funds exist across the five areas. The spatial to invest in land acquisition, assistance strategy starts to bring these elements to households to buying a new home together so that the resources secured or refurbish their existing house. Each through Housing Market Renewal can of these would leave the CLT owning be used to strengthen the neighbour- equity that it would receive back when hood structure and improve the quality property was sold allowing it to benefit of the public realm of the area. from increasing values. It would thus allow funds to be recycled and create a As a final document it creates an vehicle for community ownership and outline programme based on a set of control of the process. principles and a pragmatic strategy that is nevertheless able to bring about Spatial Framework the radical transformation demanded by HMR. The proposals have been In Section 5 this strategy is developed masterplanned, tested, assessed and into a spatial framework for the four revised and are now in a robust form to neighbourhoods that are developed take forward.

In which we describe the context and aims of 1. the study and the structure of the report.

This report has been prepared for the Rochdale Development Agency and Rochdale Council to assist in the preparation of the Scheme Update to bid for second round Housing Market Renewal (HMR) funds.

Oldham/Rochdale is one neighbourhoods. The government has of nine Housing Market Renewal now allocated a further £400 million Pathfinder Areas designated by the to the programme and the Pathfinders Government in 2003. These are areas have been asked to draw up bids for with weak and failing housing markets the Second Round of neighbourhoods. across Northern England stretching as This study was commissioned to pre- far south as Birmingham. The areas pare an input to the bid for Rochdale’s were allocated £600million in the first inner neighbourhoods and a similar round of funding and each submitted study is being undertaken by EDAW prospectuses for that money. Oldham in Oldham. Rochdale’s prospectus covered four This study looks at five Inner neighbourhoods; Werneth/Freehold Rochdale neighbourhoods namely; and Derker in Oldham and East Central Spotland and Falinge; Deeplish and Rochdale and Langley in Rochdale. Milkstone; Sparth; Newbold; and They were awarded £53.5 million Kirkholt. These make up the balance of and are in the process of appointing the HMR areas in Rochdale. The development partners to work in these

. A report by URBED, Kings Sturge and TPP for the Rochdale Development Agency

study has been undertaken in two of these neighbourhoods. This report duced by a team led by URBED, with parts; the first developed a Strategic was produced in draft form for at the King Sturge and Transport Planning Framework and Spatial Strategy for the end of the first stage and has been Partnership (TPP). It has been guided five neighbourhoods while the second updated following the masterplan exer- by a steering group drawn from the has developed masterplans for four cise. The masterplans are contained in public sector partners and representa- separate appendices. tives of the five neighbourhoods. We At its root this means This work has drawn are grateful for everyone who has neighbourhoods where people on a wide range of made an input to this work. live out of choice rather research. Particularly important has been the than necessity work on the housing market undertaken by Rochdale SUN: Steering Group membership GVA Grimleys in parallel to this study. Ruth Pugsley (North West Development Agency) Peter Cunningham (Rochdale MBC Environment) This study has also involved intensive Martin Hathaway (Rochdale MBC Environment) Chris Hall (Rochdale MBC Strategic Planning) consultations including 2 workshops, John Lloyd (PCT) 3 Design for Change charrettes and Jill Dixon (Rochdale Boroughwide Housing) John Percival (Rochdale MBC PPR) 3 tours of the neighbourhoods by the Dean Aggett (HMR Core Team) Donna Bowler (Urban Renewal Manager) SUN Bus. Through these events some Richard Duddell (Rochdale Development Agency) 1000 local people and stakeholders Mohammed Ahmed (HMR Strategic Pro- grammes) have been involved in the study. Darryl Lawrence (Rochdale Housing Initiative) Pauline Brown (St Vincent’s Housing Assocation) These strands have been wo- Andy Smart (Education RMBC)

ven into a strategy to strengthen and Community representatives Phil Renshaw (Kirkholt) consolidate the five neighbourhoods Kenny Farrar (Sparth) Sarfaz Arfan (Sparth) and to transform the housing market Barabara Todd (Spotland & Falinge) Vanessa Kilburn (Spotland & Falinge) and the variety and quality of hous- Andy Mcculloch (Newbold) ing in inner Rochdale. The strategy Ghulam Shahzad (Milkstone & Deeplish) is then illustrated in four individual Project Management Team Janet Brooks (Project Manager) RDA masterplans although these do not Vivienne Hall RBH Kaye Mahoney RMBC form part of the scheme update. Zoe Powell RMBC Katie Wall RMBC This report has been pro- Dawn Hoskins HMR . Where we describe the social and demographic 2. profile of the HMR neighbourhoods

Rochdale is one of 10 boroughs in Manchester, much of Salford and the Greater Manchester with a popula- inner parts of Oldham, Bury, Traf- tion of 206,000. This is around 8% of ford and Stockport. The remaining the 2.5 million people who live in the 1.5 million people live in seven major conurbation. Of these around 1 million industrial towns with populations of The North Manchester Conurbation is made up of a series of major industrial live within the core city - broadly the 60-100,000;- Stockport, Ashton, towns and scores of smaller towns area within the M60 that includes Oldham, Bolton, Wigan and Rochdale. and neighbourhoods The conurbation also includes 40 or so smaller towns Such as Heywood, Middleton, Milnrow and Littleborough in Rochdale. The challenge being faced by all of these towns at this present time is how to re-invent themselves for a post industrial age. In Rochdale this was addressed in the Borough Renais- sance Masterplan which is based on 7 key topics.

Sustainable neighbourhoods: Concentrating housing within urban areas at higher densities to

. A report by URBED, Kings Sturge and TPP for the Rochdale Development Agency

consolidate existing communities. The inner neighbourhoods of the town have a vital role to play in realising this 21st century employment sites: vision. In the following pages we look Diversifying the economy by at the socio- economic challenges be- A Mosaic map of North Manchester prepared by Experian to show the capitalising on knowledge econo- ing faced by these neighbourhoods. social make-up of the population. The blues show suburban middle classes, mies and promoting new business the red squares are council estates, investment including Kingsway orange shows Victorian terraces areas while green shows young single person households. Thriving town centres: Promoting town centres as drivers for urban renaissance.

Environmental assets: Using environmental assets such as the moors to promote quality of life.

Gateways and corridors: Improv- ing the gateways and corridors to the borough.

Sustainable transport: Improving connections and access by motor- way, rail, tram and bus.

Design and image: The impor- tance of quality design at a time when a huge amount of develop- ment is planned.

. In which we briefly describe the population of the five neighbour- hoods compared to the population of the borough.

While Rochdale borough’s popula- 6.7% over the next 25 years reflecting late 1996 there was a net outflow of tion is one of the smallest in Greater the young age structure of the popula- population from the borough. Since Manchester, the the town of Rochdale tion. that time population loss through is one of the largest with just under This stable population masks migration has slowed while internal 100,000 people. The population of strong internal growth, particularly growth has stayed constant causing the borough has been relatively stable in the Asian community set against the population to grow by 1%. growing by 2% since 1991 compared fluctuating migration figures. Until the The five neighbourhoods to a decline of 3.3% for Greater Man- covered by this study are home chester. The population is projected to The population of the five to 27,821 people (13.5% of grow by 0.6% by 2021 while house- neighbourhoods is stable the borough population and holds are projected to grow by 7.6%. masking relatively high lev- a quarter of Rochdale town- According to ONS figures the borough ship). This population has been els of internal growth and as a whole is projected to grow by stable since 1996. However outward migration this masks an uneasy bal- ance between relatively high Area and population 2002 rates of internal growth and outward Area Population Percentage of population aged migration from inner Rochdale to outer Persons Total, Change Under 5 - 15 6 to Pension per sq km 000s % 1982 5 pension age or wards. However the wards of Brimrod - 2002 age over and Deeplish and Central and Falinge Rochdale 1,305 206 -0.1 6.4 6.0 61.0 6.6 have also experienced net inward Manchester 3,652 422 -7.0 6.0 4.0 65. 4.9 international migration of around 100 Greater Manchester 1,970 2,513 -3.3 6.0 4.8 61.9 7.3 persons/yr based on the Asian com- North West 480 6,771 -2.0 5.7 4.6 61.0 8.6 munity. UK 244 59,229 5.2 5.8 4.1 61.7 8.4

Source: Regional Trends 38, 2004

. A report by URBED, Kings Sturge and TPP for the Rochdale Development Agency

Source GVA Grimley

in Rochdale. In this respect it is very Overall the picture is of a deprived different to Oldham where a similar community that, despite recent ethnic mix has let to a range of inter- improvements, is still lagging behind community tensions. the borough and Greater Manchester. Health: Rochdale has severe health problems. It ranks 8th nationally for Age: 22% of Rochdale’s population poor life expectancy and Central and are under 15 compared with 21% Falinge is the 3rd worst ward in the for Greater Manchester. In the HMR borough. neighbourhoods 45% of the population are below the age of 30 compared to Prosperity: The HMR areas are within 37.7% nationally. Newbold has the the 20% most deprived wards nation- youngest population while the highest ally. In 2003 average weekly earnings average age is to be found in Kirkholt. in Rochdale were £388/week com- pared to £438 in Greater Manchester. Ethnic Origin: 11% of Rochdale’s The borough is characterised by low population is of Asian origin and this wage/low skill jobs and many of the is projected to rise to 16% by 2021. people with qualifications travel to work Within the five neighbourhoods 22% outside the borough. In the HMR areas of the population is of Asian origin. 16% of households have incomes of The majority (80%) are Pakistani. Over less than £5k/year and a further 36% three quarters of the population are earn less than 15k/year. 22% of house- white with the lowest proportion of holds receive Income Support, 30% BME groups in Kirkholt and Newbold. Housing Benefit and a third of pupils The Asian community is concentrated receive free school meals. in East Central Rochdale, Milkstone and Deeplish, Sparth and Spotland. Employment: Unemployment in During the course of the study we Rochdale has been falling and now have encountered no racial tension stands at 4.2% which is still above the . Average Age of the population

regional average of 3.2%. In the HMR area only 48% of households have incoming wages and unemployment is twice the borough average. Central ward has an unemployment rate just under 12%.

Qualifications and Skills: The educational achievement of pupils in Rochdale has improved in recent years. This is against a backdrop of improving standards nationally so that the relative position of Rochdale schools has not changed. Achieve- ment levels in the HMR area are poor with only 30% of pupils achieving 5 or more grades A-C last year compared to 58% nationally. The population of the borough is characterised by low levels of skills. 40% of 16-19 year olds have no NVQ qualification or higher compared to 35% nationally. 20% of the population have low levels of literacy.

Overall the picture is of a deprived community that, despite recent improvements, is still lagging behind both the borough and Greater Man- chester. . A report by URBED, Kings Sturge and TPP for the Rochdale Development Agency

In which we describe the economy of the Business Activity: There were 4,250 borough and the need to diversify Rochdale’s VAT-registered businesses in Rochdale employment base to ensure a wide range of at the end of 2002, an increase of 1.3% jobs in the future. on 2001. However the rate of business registrations at 22 per 10,000 popula- tion is below the regional average of 26.

Inward Investment: The Rochdale economy is dominated Rochdale’s economy is con- Research for MIDAS on in- by manufacturing (21% of jobs), distri- centrated in sectors predicted ward investment in Greater bution, hotels and restaurants (25%), to decline so that, unless ac- Manchester shows that in public administration, education and tion is taken, the number of 2002/3 Rochdale only at- health (23%). The manufacturing figure local jobs will decline tracted 8% of all investment is significantly higher than the regional in Greater Manchester (2 average. projects). The lion’s share In the next 10 to 15 years One of the ways to assess (17 projects) went to Manchester. The output is expected to increase region- the potential for this is by looking at work suggested that inward invest- ally by 2% although employment business clusters. There are economic ment was becoming more difficult but growth will be much less at 0.3% as benefits of businesses clustering, identified that the key sectors were; businesses become more efficient. especially if they are in growth sectors. life sciences, multi-media, business However growth will be concentrated Rochdale has clusters in textile manu- services/ICT, transport, food & drink, in certain sectors - retailing, business facturing (almost 10 times the national multi-lingual service centres and finan- services, education and health. Manu- average), chemicals and transport. It cial services. facturing output is predicted to increase does however have low concentra- by 1.3% regionally but manufacturing tions of research and development, Future opportunities: Rochdale has employment is to shrink by almost 2%. insurance, pensions and computing. responded to these changing econom- Rochdale is therefore likely to see a The clusters in Rochdale are in sec- ic circumstances with the potential loss of employment unless it diversifies tors predicted to decline adding to the new office development at Sandbrook its economy. conclusion that the borough will see Park. The area in and around the town declining levels of jobs in the future.

. centre and the strategic corridors are also seen as important growth points with the creation of more than 1,000 office jobs in the Globe House and other planned schemes. However the largest employment initiative is the Kingsway Business Park which has the potential to attract many of the inward investment sectors described above. This is one of the most impor- tant employment initiatives in Greater Manchester. It has a net developable area of 114 hectares and the potential to provide 313,000m2 of employ- ment space including a mix of B1, B2 and B8 space. Sectors that have been targeted include ICT, financial services, leisure and tourism, materi- als based businesses, environmental services, engineering, manufacturing and logistics. It is expected that the first sites/premises will be available in 2006 and that eventually 7,250 direct and 1,570 indirect jobs will be created. It is therefore clear that the economy and employment base of Rochdale will evolve in the next dec- ade or so. Traditional jobs in manu- facturing are likely to decline but this should be more than compensated for with new employment in the town centre and Kingsway. This has impli- cations for the skills levels in the local population as well as the quality of the local housing stock. If these issues are not addressed there is a danger that the new jobs will be taken by people from outside the borough. . A report by URBED, Kings Sturge and TPP for the Rochdale Development Agency

In which we review the assessment of the hous- ing market by King Sturge alongside the work being undertaken by GVA Grimleys into the housing market and the impact of measures on houseprices.

Over the last year the average In recent years there has been a house price has increased by 23% significant rise UK house prices due to in Rochdale compared with just 18% overall economic stability, low inter- nationally. est rates, falling unemployment and a national under-supply of housing. This caused houseprices to rise in the residential building land continues to 18%. This has been true of all types Southeast and spread to the rest of the remain buoyant due to competition be- of property with the exception of country. The recent slow down has tween developers for scarce land. This flats/maisonettes. Terraced house followed a similar course. means that housebuilders are more prices have experienced a particularly 2002 saw some of the prepared to work with ‘difficult’ inner large increase (36%). However despite highest monthly increases in house city sites. Combined with a demand this the average price of a dwelling prices since 1993. By 2003 the rate of urban lifestyles, this is creating a in Rochdale is still only 57% of the of increase had slowed in the south market for town centre housing. national average. but continued at 10 – 15% in northern The poor performance of flats and England. This continued into 2004 The Rochdale Market: Rochdale is on maisonettes suggests that the more however towards the end of the year the edge of one of the leading centres expensive town centre residential mar- monthly increases dropped below 1% of housing renaissance – Manchester ket has is yet to develop in Rochdale. with some commentators showing a and there has been a strong growth in There are however substantial areas fall in November housing values which have risen by of terraced housing close to the town However figures from 23% in the last 12 months compared centre for which there is a significant July 2004 confirm that the value of to an England and Wales average of demand. As the market for new, good

10. Average houseprices 2004

11. A report by URBED, Kings Sturge and TPP for the Rochdale Development Agency

quality accommodation in the central There has been substantial price area is yet to be tested it is difficult to predict demand. With good transport inflation at the lower end of the links to Manchester there is potential market. However this is from a low for developing desirable accommo- base and prices are still more than dation near to the town centre in the 35% below the brough average future. Rochdale has many attrac- tions as a residential location; prox- market with terraces increasing by higher average prices due to the range imity to attractive countryside, good 20.3% in 2003 and 43.2% in 2004. of property in the area. The area holds communications links and affordable However this is from a very low base significant numbers of much lower housing. However, there has been and prices in the area are still more value properties as well as some of the relatively little housebuilding in the than 35% below the borough average. highest value properties with detached borough with only 290 completions in The plan to the right shows property averaging £205,000 which is 2003/4 the majority in the Pennines that there is considerable local varia- above the Rochdale average (albeit with township and north Rochdale. There tion. The lowest average values are in a small number of transactions). has been relatively little new housing East Central Rochdale where they are Demand for property is locally in central Rochdale - mostly small infill less than £47,000. In the remainder of generated with the greatest demand for schemes, the largest being just 68 Newbold, Kirkholt, Milkstone, Deeplish terraced accommodation, fuelled by units. and Sparth values are between £47 first-time buyers. and £55,000 while in Spotland and Inner Rochdale Falinge they are £55-60,000. The plan far right shows the proportion of The housing market of the five neigh- sales at less than £30,000 and shows bourhoods covered by this study has a slightly different picture. Sparth been assessed by both King Sturge has the highest number of properties and Grimleys. This reveals a mixed below £30K although the housing on picture. There has been substantial Manchester Road lifts its average price price inflation at the lower end of the significantly. Spotland and Falinge, have

12. Percentage of sales less than £30K in 2004

13. A report by URBED, Kings Sturge and TPP for the Rochdale Development Agency

In which we review the work undertaken by Park is the largest site, not only in the King Sturge into the commercial and industrial borough, but in the North West and will market of Rochdale. This highlights the transform the North Manchester mar- opportunity to use the strategy to strengthen ket. It covers 170 hectares and includes the economy of the town. 3.13m2 million of B1 and B2 space alongside 300 housing units in the KBP. Notwithstanding this there is likely to be a healthy demand for new office Office space and mixed-use accom- There is likely to be continuing modation around the town Nationally the market for offices has healthy demand for office and centre and along strategic been through a difficult period but mixed-use development in and corridors including the has picked up recently, particularly in around the town centre. Maclure Road/Canal basin regional markets. The upturn has been area. led by the finance and public sectors Salford Quays has grown. The North which account for over 80% of new Manchester market is much smaller Retailing floorspace. There has also been a trend and harder to quantify. This has created away from out-of-town development in a pent-up demand which is now being The growth in retail spending has favour of sites where staff have access exploited following the completion of slowed recently although various trends to public transport and facilities. An the M60. This can be seen by the suc- continue to drive retail development. important factor are the plans in the cess of the Waterfold Business Park in These include demand for high-qual- Lyons Review to relocate 20,000 Rochdale, and the ASK development in ity shopping environments, extended government jobs out of London. This Ashton-under-Lyne. opening hours and restrictions on out- identified Rochdale as a possible loca- The office market in Rochdale of-town schemes. High-street retailers tion for ‘Information Support Contact has traditionally been small. However are looking for larger units while food Centres’ and ‘Back Office Functions’. schemes such as Sandbrook Park, retailers are introducing smaller format Rents have remained stable in Mitchell Hey Place and Globe House stores for town centres. The Borough the Manchester market in recent years have let well and new-build accom- Masterplan confirms that Rochdale however take-up in the City Centre and modation is now achieving rents of is under-performing as a shopping South Manchester has dropped while £12/sqft. The Kingsway Business centre. It is ranked at 143 compared to 14. Bolton at 76 and Oldham at 139. The leisure facilities in Rochdale are poorer of 2004. There is no shortage of proposed expansion of the Wheat- than similar towns. There is one cinema industrial sites and premises in inner sheaf Centre will start to address this. (Sandbrook Park) and 7 private health Rochdale. However a great deal of the The main edge of centre provision is clubs with a further facility planned as stock is poor quality and badly located the retail park off Maclure Road that part of the Kingsway Business Park. with respect to access and residential is being redeveloped by Town Centre The town centre has a buoyant evening areas. Many industrial areas are a mix Securities. The Borough Masterplan economy based around the youth of infill accommodation, industrial es- suggests that new retailing should be market. There are 18 hotels including tates and older mills and warehouses. confined to the town centre. 2 budget hotels and one 4 star hotel Modern accommodation is generally There are also a range of (Norton Grange at Castleton). The few well occupied. There is some vacancy smaller shopping parades in the five independent restaurants are mainly in the poorer stock but no widespread neighbourhoods with newsagents, con- Italian and Indian but the area lacks vacancy. As new space comes on venience stores, a post offices, chem- family leisure facilities. The Borough stream, particularly on Kingsway it is ists and fast food outlets. Many also Masterplan suggests enhanced facilities likely that demand for the older poorer have a laundrette, hairdressers, tanning to improve the attraction of the area to space will decline further. studio and betting shop. With the ex- visitors. There is the potential for leisure ception of Sparth the neighbourhoods development such as restaurants and Overall the review suggests that there have a good range of provision and the family leisure in the area stretching is a need within Rochdale to attract a challenge is likely to be to maintain this from Drake Street to the canal. This is range of commercial uses as set out rather than to expand it greatly. This being addressed by the Taylor Young in the Borough Masterplan. These will is particularly true in Kirkholt where report and recommendations on the be concentrated in the town centre the Strand has some vacant units that Rochdale Canal Corridor. and on Kingsway creating a poten- could provide essential services for the tially important role for the Milkstone, community. Industrial market Deeplish and Newbold areas which link the two. There is also a need to Leisure Demand for industrial space has rationalise industrial provision and to remained strong in recent years. In redevelop some of the older premises. The leisure market has expanded the Rochdale market there has been rapidly in recent years yet the Borough a good level of demand for industrial Masterplan suggests that cultural and accommodation in the second half 15. A report by URBED, Kings Sturge and TPP for the Rochdale Development Agency

In which we describe the findings of the ac- types of facility within the town that cess audit undertaken by TPP as part of are likely to generate travel demand. the study. This has reviewed existing trans- This shows a concentration of servic- port conditions and provision within inner es in the town centre and Drake Street Rochdale. that serve the whole borough but are very accessible to the five neighbour- hoods. Other services in Rochdale town centre is 10 miles The majority of trips within the residential areas are less from Manchester city centre, 6 miles five neighbourhoods are by car easily reached by public from Bury and 5 miles from Oldham. It despite relatively low levels of transport and there is lies on the M62 corridor that links the also a need to relate pub- urban areas from Liverpool to Hull. car ownership lic transport to employ- The demand to travel in Inner ment centres such as the Rochdale is determined by people’s plan below left – the size of the circle hospital and, in the future, Kingsway needs to get to work, shops and facili- indicating the numbers travelling. Trav- Business Park. ties. Some of this demand is to travel el also takes place within the borough outside the Borough as shown on the and the map above shows the main Mode of travel

Travel destinations for Rochdale residents TPP show that the majority of people in the five neighbourhoods access these facilities by car. This despite the low levels of car ownership in the area (50% in Sparth and Spotland and Falinge and 60% elsewhere). The combination of these factors limits mobility so that the of people tend to work either in their neighbourhood or the town centre. Only in Kirkholt do a significant number (30%) work outside the borough. 16. Most journeys are by car Facilities within Rochdale that generate travel demand even within the neighbourhoods. Peo- ple travel more by bus within Greater Manchester but the highest proportion is still only 13% of trips in Newbold and Sparth. Train accounts for 6-7% of trips from neighbourhoods around the station but only 2-4% elsewhere.

Traffic This high level of car use causes con- gestion problems in inner Rochdale. However many of these car journeys originate and terminate outside Inner Rochdale - it is just that people need to pass through the area. This causes congestion, poor air quality, delays and severance for trips by pedestrians and cyclists. The plan below right shows the worst areas of congestion. Improvements are being made to the Traffic density within Rochdale network including the Manchester Road / Edinburgh Way, Kingsway / Oldham Road and Whitworth Road / Yorkshire St junctions. Park and ride facilities are planned at the station and traffic calming is planned or recently completed in Deeplish, Kirkholt and Newbold.

Public transport

Bus Routes: There are currently plans to move the bus station to create an interchange with Metrolink east of Drake Street. Most of the bus routes through Inner Rochdale access the bus station so that accessibility to the town centre is very good as shown by the plan overleaf. The bus routes are on main routes and most neighbour 17. A report by URBED, Kings Sturge and TPP for the Rochdale Development Agency

hoods are well served. The exception is Newbold where penetration into the area is very poor. Quality Bus Corridor are proposed on Manchester Road and in the future on Whitworth Road and Oldham Road.

Rail and tram: The railway station is just south of the town centre. The main line runs from Manchester to Yorkshire with a loop down through Oldham and Bus routes back to Manchester. This line is pro- posed for the Metrolink which will run up through the Kingsway Business Park stopping in Newbold and at the sta- tion before running on Drake Street to terminate in the town centre. While not yet secure, prospects for the Metrolink currently look reasonably good. Rail, and potentially tram serv- ices, make Rochdale very accessible. However the station is poorly acces- sible and has no interchange facilities. There are however proposals for a 250 space park-and-ride facility south of the station.

Walking and Cycling

Many journeys to work in Inner Rochdale are short so that travel on foot and by cycle could be more important than it is. However there are problems of severance caused by topography and infrastructure such as roads, the canal, industry, the railway and the River Roch. Concerns for safety also dissuade people from walking. Work done by TPP acknowl- edges that improvements to the

18. quality of the highway environment are needed in order to promote use by pe- destrians, cyclists and other modes as well as private car. Proposals are al- ready in place to connect up the many walking and cycling facilities already existing in the town centre, in addition to the existing and proposed national cycle network, to form an integrated walking and cycling network. The image below right demonstrates how existing and proposed pedestrian and cycle routes can form the foundations of a network to connect the inner Rochdale areas with the town centre and the surrounding countryside. Potential cycle network Further proposals to improve the canal network as part of the Rochdale Canal Corridor Regeneration Strategy can also tackle environment issues around the canal for local residents and improve accessibility. All of these strategies need to form a comprehensive network with the town centre area. Below right shows a strategic walking/cycling network within the town centre. Any additional routes through the Inner Rochdale areas would need to form a consistent network with these existing and proposed facilities. By encouraging walking and cycling it is hoped that the vitality of each neighbourhood would be significantly improved creating a safer, less polluted environment. This idea is explored in more detail for each of the neighbourhoods. 19. A report by URBED, Kings Sturge and TPP for the Rochdale Development Agency

has been cleared leaving the later bet- ter quality terraced housing. The figure ground plans of the town show this growth. Particularly striking are the routes that form such an important part of the town. Drake Street was originally the route from Manchester while Milkstone Road and Toad Lane was an important North/ South route. The current figure ground In which we describe the physical structure of plan shows major changes from the Inner Rochdale including its urban form, historic plans. Many of the housing linkages and open space network. areas retain their form and structure, especially the inner neighbourhoods. There is much urban form here to be built on, especially in Spotland and Milkstone. However the industrial areas have become very fractured As part of the study we have under- with a much lower Many of the housing areas taken an initial analysis of Inner Roch- density of development dale’s urban form. This is a starting retain their form and structure, and little urban form. As point for the more detailed work in the especially the inner a result the town centre second part of the study. This includes neighbourhoods is surrounded by a zone a range of analysis plans that are of poorly-defined space combined onto the plan opposite. sited on a hill overlooking a fording that stretches all the way down to the Rochdale grew up as a small point over the River Roch. The Indus- canal and along the river valley. market town in the foothills of the trial Revolution saw the town grow The main roads into the Pennines. Described by Celia Fiennes rapidly with densely packed industry town can be picked out on the figure in 1698 as ‘a pretty neate town built along the river and the canal surround- ground plan indicating that they remain of stone’ it changes little until the ed by closely packed workers housing reasonably well enclosed by buildings. mid 19th century. The town grew up in the neighbourhoods covered by this This is true of Oldham Road and around the Parish church dramatically study. Much of the poorest housing

1851 1894 1931 20. 21. A report by URBED, Kings Sturge and TPP for the Rochdale Development Agency

Whitworth Road and Drake Street. are other local barriers such as the Open space Manchester Road and Kingsway / Falinge and Freehold Flats. One of the Queensway are less visible reflecting roles of the masterplanning process The wider context plan shows that the fact that they are not well defined will be to overcome these barriers. the five neighbourhoods make up and enclosed by buildings. a significant part of the township of Land use Rochdale. This is a star-shaped settle- Permeability ment and fingers of greenery penetrate We have undertaken an analysis of up to the edges of the inner neighbour- We have also undertaken a perme- land use in the inner area. This shows hoods. There are also a number of ability assessment of the inner areas. a broad separation of uses. The indus- potentially good quality open spaces The street hierarchy is shown in the trial areas would once have included within the area, particularly Falinge plan on the previous page and in more substantial amounts of housing but Park, Broadfield Park, Cronkeyshaw detail in the Appendix. It shows the years of planning zoning and clear- Common and the valley between twin routes of St. Mary’s Way and ance have separated these uses out. Deeplish and Kirkholt. However many Kingsway bypassing the town centre The remaining terraces in Sparth are of these areas were identified in our and the radial routes linking into the perhaps the last of their kind. However consultations as dangerous and in- centre. The former generally act as the older terraced areas do retain a timidating and in need of major capital barriers while the radial routes still act mix of local uses including shops, investments and restoration. as high streets in many places and pubs, community buildings and small Rochdale retains a structure are lined with shops. The green lines scale employment. By contrast the of dense inner neighbourhoods sepa- shown are local routes and the yellow planned Kirkholt area and much of rated by industry and green space. By show streets that are cul-de-sacs. Newbold have very few uses other consolidating the industrial areas and This illustrates that there a range of than housing. improving the green space the HMR barriers around the town masterplans can reinforce this neigh- the make it difficult to move By consolidating the industrial bourhood structure and repair the from one neighbourhood to areas and improving the green damage to the urban fabric around the another. The most impor- space the HMR masterplans centre. tant barriers are the river can reinforce the town’s neigh- valley and the canal. There bourhood structure

22. In which we describe the characteristics of each of 3. the neighbourhoods.

The main part of the study has section we briefly characterise each of concentrated on the five neighbour- the neighbourhoods including its his- hoods of Sparth, Spotland and Falinge, tory, its relationship to Rochdale and Milkstone and Deeplish, Newbold its population and housing stock. and Kirkholt. These areas have been This background work has studied in detail through desk-based been combined with the details of the research, analysis and consultation. consultation undertaken in each of the This has fed into the a masterplanning areas. This includes the feedback on exercise for four of the five neighbour- neighbourhood and housing issues hoods and each area has an appen- from the SUN Bus, the Design for dices to this report detailing the work Change workshop and subsequent done by URBED in each area. In this SUN Bus exhibitions.

23. A report by URBED, Kings Sturge and TPP for the Rochdale Development Agency

Spotland And Falinge in 1910

Spotland and Falinge stand on the – four 20 storey and three 16 storey slopes to the north of the town centre. tower blocks that have dominated the To the south the area is bounded by town ever since. The College Bank College Road and St. Mary’s Gate flats have always been relatively from which it rises to Falinge Park and popular. Less successful were the Cronkeyshaw Common to the north. Falinge deck-access flats built a few To the east it encompasses Whitworth years later in the heart of the area. A Road and Town Head, the original decision was nearly taken to demolish gateway to the town from the north. In this estate a few years ago but it was addition to Whitworth Road the oldest instead refurbished and subjected to part of the area is Spotland Bridge, intensive management. It is now con- which was once a village separated sidered to be operating successfully. by fields from Rochdale until as late In addition to Spotland Road as 1850. The area between Whitworth and Whitworth Road the area was once Road and Spotland Bridge grew up in linked to the centre by Toad Lane, one the second half of the 19th century. of Rochdale’s historic routes. However By the end of the century a dense the development of Collage Bank Flats terraced housing area had developed and St. Mary’s Gate has cut the area around the busy Spotland Road. The off from the town centre from which Rochdale Infirmary was built in its it now feels quite isolated. Spotland is current form in 1913, although it has however a strong neighbourhood as been a facility on this site for longer. is Whitworth to the east, Falinge has Originally on the edge of the town but a less strong identity and its image is now hemmed in by terraced housing. negatively affected by the flats. The core of the area remains largely unchanged and is dominated Population: The area is home to by terraced housing. However the 6,765 people in 3,097 households. terraces on the slope nearest the town 30.3% are of Asian origin, mainly Pa- centre were redeveloped in the mid kistani. There is a significantly higher 1960s with the College Bank flats number of single person households 24. in the area, 46% compared to the cupied. Only 7.8% of the surveyed potential sites for long stay car parking HMR average of 32%. This is likely housing stock was categorised as around the ring road. There may be an to be because of the College Bank ‘unfit’ or ‘defective’, mostly older opportunity for a shared facility at the flats. This may also account for the terraced properties. This reflects the infirmary at some point in the future. fact that the population is relatively housing improvement work that has young and transient. There are also a been undertaken in the area in the last Masterplan: The masterplan was significant number of asylum seekers 20 years. Spotland and Falinge also developed in consultation with resi- because the council’s policy of using has the lowest voids levels (2.98%) of dents identified key areas for interven- the Falinge Flats to accommodate this all the HMR areas whilst overcrowding tion and improvements. We worked group. is slightly lower than the HMR average alongside residents in the Design for The area suffers from high at 14.5%. Change workshop to develop these levels of deprivation, crime, unemploy- ideas and after further consultation ment and poor health. These problems Major projects: There are no plans to with the wider community developed tend to be concentrated in the Falinge undertake major works to the Lower a masterplan that reflected both the Flats however unemployment stands Falinge estate or the College Bank communities aspirations and realities at 13.1% across the area while almost Flats. The Pennine Acute Hospital of build. Further information on this 41% of households have incomes Trust which runs the hospital is explor- process and the eventual product can below £10,000. There are also high ing the potential to expand and to ra- be found in Appendix 1. levels of long-term sickness and tionalise its site through a masterplan disability in the area compared to the by Taylor Young. Their remit is to look HMR area as a whole. at the rationalisation of the existing site, not its expansion by the demoli- Housing: The majority of the proper- tion of surrounding housing which has ties (51.3%) are terraced, most of been ruled out. The study is however the balance (37.8%) being flats in the looking to reorientate the hospital Falinge and the College Bank estates. towards Whitworth Road and is look- These flats make up most of the 37% ing at possible acquisitions to facilitate of the stock in the area that is social this, particularly the ambulance station rented and overall 55% of property is which is relocating. rented the balance being owner-oc- RMBC and RDA are looking at 25. A report by URBED, Kings Sturge and TPP for the Rochdale Development Agency

Sparth in 1910

The Sparth neighbourhood is lo- The community is focused cated half a mile south-west of the around a community centre and a town centre and is the smallest HMR small mosque on Normal Road as well neighbourhood with just 761 people. as a small park. These facilities have The area developed along the valley generated a very strong community of the River Roch. The flood plain was support, something that has been developed for industry and the town reflected in the consultations that we cricket pitch (since developed as an have undertaken in the area. Asda Supermarket). Terraced housing To the east the ground rises developed amongst the industry – it rapidly up Sparth Bottoms Road to was never a large community but now Manchester Road. The retaining wall has reduced to a core of 305 homes. along this road is in a poor condition To the north is Rochdale and is threatening the housing above College although this is cut off from the wall. There is a small community the rest of the area by the river. The of houses on the level land at the top area has developed on either side of of the hill fronting onto the old Man- Norman Road which serves a variety chester Road now bypassed by a dual of industrial premises next to the river. carriageway to the east. To the south While this industry includes some the area is bounded by Mandale Park. older buildings much of the industry This is a former tip that has been land- is unsightly and there are a number scaped. However the park is isolated, of bad neighbour uses including a feels dangerous and is not well used. skip yard, a concrete plant and a bus It has been used for trial biking that is depot. There is also a long-established a source of irritation to local people. gas works with three large gas holders that tower over the housing. The area suffers from serious conflicts between the housing and these industrial uses, particularly as a result of traffic on Norman Road. 26. Population: The area is home to 761 20% of the property. Masterplan: URBED worked with people 45.3% of which is of Pakistani residents in the area identifying the origin while 47.8% are white. It is a Major Projects: The Sparth area is perceived strengths and weaknesses young community with 24.7% of peo- currently subject to a Neighbourhood of the area with the aim to address ple in the 16-30 years old age band, Renewal Assessment by Michael them in the final masterplan that the compared to 19.4% in Inner Rochdale. Howard Associates. This has looked practice produced. Through the Design It is however a severely deprived com- at 5 future scenarios for the area and for Change workshop URBED con- munity (the 17th most deprived out has consulted with local people. The sulted with residents about the way of 32,482 nationally). Unemployment scenarios were; 1) to do nothing, 2) in which to deal with housing. The stands at 18.1% and a large numbers to remove the industry from the area option most favoured was to segre- of houses are in receipt of benefits. and develop it entirely for housing, 3) gate industrial and housing but keep 60.1% of households have incomes of to deal with the social problems of both in the area and expand. Residents less than £15k per year the area, 4) to deal with the housing wanted to stay and the industrial area issues and 5) to remove the housing could be expanded and used for other Housing: The housing is almost en- and develop it for industry only. The industry relocation. To see in further tirely made up of pre-1919, pavement- community opted for Option 2 but on detail the proposed plans to bring this fronted terraces. This area has the balance the process has opted for a idea forward and the process involved highest proportion of houses which combination of options 3 and 4. This in making those decisions please see were sold below £30,000 and a 100% is being worked up into a neighbour- Appendix 2. survey of the property found 28.69% hood action plan through the Neigh- to be ‘unfit’ or ‘defective’. However bourhood Renewal process but the while values are low there are only reality is that the resources to imple- 5.24% voids which is lower than the ment this plan are limited. HMR average. The consultation sug- At this time there is a proposal gests that demand within the local for a small housing scheme by St. community for housing in the area is Vincent’s Housing Association north strong particularly from families seek- of the river. This however is currently ing to move out of their parents home. in abeyance due to ground condition The lack of alternative accomodation problems. leads to severe overcrowding affecting 27. A report by URBED, Kings Sturge and TPP for the Rochdale Development Agency

Situated to the south of the town cen- arrived in the 1840s and together this tre, Milkstone and Deeplish is the most led to a growth of industry along the populous of the five Inner Rochdale canal and in the eastern part of the neighbourhoods with a population area. It would appear that the terraced of 7,490 of whom 65% are of Asian housing on Deeplish and the remain- origin. der of Milkstone grew up to house the Milkstone is one of the oldest workers in this area. The area to the parts of Rochdale. It grew up around north of the station was redeveloped the Parish Church on the top of the in the 1930s to create a gateway to sloping valley side to the west of the the town. Key buildings include the town centre. It would appear from domed St. John’s RC Church and the old maps that Drake Street was the fire station with its fine hose drying original route from Manchester and tower. Milkstone Road was the old road from Two parts of the area were re- Oldham. Drake Street made its way developed in the 1960s and 70s. The down the slope to what would once valley to the south of Deeplish was de- have been the only crossing point over veloped as the Ashfield Valley flats, a the River Roch. While much of the old notorious 7 storey deck access estate Milkstone has gone there remains a that was demolished in the 1990s. A few substantial Georgian properties. small part of the estate remains on the Milkstone Road remains a lively street, canal, part of the remainder has been lined with small shops and restau- landscaped and the rest was redevel- rants. oped for offices and a retail store for The remainder of Milkstone the Cooperative. This is now a B&Q and Deeplish grew up around the canal store and the offices of My Travel. and the railway. The Rochdale Canal The other redevelopment was was completed in the early part of the the Freehold estate on the Manchester 19th Century with an arm to a canal Road. This was refurbished rather basin next to the junction of Drake than demolished and, like the Falinge Street and Oldham Road. The railway flats, has been subject to an intensive 28. management regime. A percentage of housing (45.7%). The Milkstone area local people, the SUN Bus exhibitions the estate is now used to house asy- is quite varied with some older and in the area proved informative and lum seekers, is fully occupied and is larger properties. The central part of often well attended. Working hand regarded by the ALMO as a success. Deeplish is made up almost entirely in hand with residents on the Design of Victorian terraces although there for Change workshops URBED took Population: The 7,490 people of are some larger properties on the people through the masterplanning Milkstone and Deeplish live in 2,413 southern fringe of the area. 60% of the process to see what different options households. The average household property is owner-occupied with the arose. Those were then taken out to size is therefore 3.1 persons, the rest split between different forms of the wider community for comment largest in the HMR area. This reflects renting. There are problems with the before URBED completed a final the fact that it is a predominantly a housing stock. 18.1% of properties masterplan. The process and the prod- family-based community, with 45% are classified as unfit or defective (437 uct of it can be seen in Appendix 3. of households living with children, properties) and 7.8% are overcrowd- and higher levels of younger people ed. However a significant amount of in the area generally. People of Asian property has been improved and there origin make up 65% of the community remains a healthy demand for prop- the majority of whom are of Pakistani erty in the area and house prices have origin (61.3%). risen faster here than in other areas. Deeplish and Milkstone have high levels of unemployment (16%) Key Projects: The main plans being and over 50% of households receive developed in the area are Central Retail

Housing Benefit. The area has a range Park, Maclure Road, Metrolink and of problems including drugs, crime, the canal. These are all discussed in anti-social behaviour and prostitution. greater detail at the beginning of the However it also has a very strong third appendix. community based particularly around the mosques as detailed below. Masterplan: Working with the residents and community of the area URBED Housing: The housing in the area sought to find out what the key needs is predominantly pre-1919 terraced were in the area as identified by the 29. A report by URBED, Kings Sturge and TPP for the Rochdale Development Agency

Newbold in 1910 The Newbold area is situated to the a mill on Kenworthy Terrace is being south east of the town centre. Its has demolished to create a housing site to a population of 6,891 and consists be developed by Westbury Homes. of a variety of housing developed at One of the problems of the different times. The area developed area is the disconnected nature of the in the gap between Oldham Road to street network. The nearest that the the west and Milnrow Road to the area has to a high street is the Milnrow North. It is bisected by the canal and Road on the northern edge of the area the railway creating a neighbourhood which is a focus for some shops and that feels cut off from the surrounding facilities. However the main shopping neighbourhoods. provision is the Morrisons store in the The western part of the heart of the area. To the south the area neighbourhood consists of industry, is bounded by Kingsway. However originally developed along the canal the road network has been sliced up arm into town. This includes older so that there no direct connections industrial buildings to the south and between the two roads in the heart of more modern premises next to the the area. This causes the area to feel railway. To the east of this is a mixed isolated and confusing meaning that area of predominantly social housing. people who do not live there will tend Some of this is managed by the ALMO not to venture into the estate. and some by the Guinness Trust. To the west of this lie a variety of more Population: Newbold is home to 6,891 suburban housing areas, both private people in 2,983 giving an average and council. These estates consist of household size of 2.3 persons, one of semi-detached properties. The council the smallest in the HMR areas. The stock has had problems in the past but population is predominantly white is now stable. To the north of this area (73.3%) with a small Pakistani (19%) 30. and Bangladeshi (3%) community. This increasing focus on Newbold as the is an area where the Asian community Key projects: There is a canal basin connection between Kingsway and the have in the past not wished to live due masterplan that affects Newbold. It town centre. to conflict with the white community. proposes the development of the sites This is gradually being overcome and between Crawford Street and the canal Masterplan: Although there was not the ALMO reports success in moving as a mix of new housing and work- as much interest from the commu- Asian households into the western part space. This also links with the wider nity as URBED would have hoped we of the area. Unemployment in the area Rochdale Canal Corridor masterplan still managed to engage with groups is twice the borough average and the put forward by Taylor Young. of local people and stakeholders to number of Housing Benefit claimants is The Guinness Tust is currently identify areas that could be developed also higher than the average borough reviewing its estate in the heart of the and improved. During the consulta- levels. area. Parts have not worked and it is tion process URBED sought to ensure likely that the core of one bedroom that any plans taken forward would Housing: The housing is more flats will be redeveloped. Currently, compliment other research done in mixed that the other HMR areas. there are no plans for wider demoli- the area and the long term view of the Terraces make up 47% of the stock tion. impacts of Kingsway Business Park. while 33.1% are semi detached and If the Metrolink is approved To see more on the consultation proc- 16.5% are flats. Half of the property is there is a planned stop in the car park ess, the community’s views and the owner-occupied while 19% is council of Morrisons. This will potentially emergent masterplan see Appendix 4. housing, 17.2% housing association serve the area, although at present and 12.1% private rented. Average the disconnected road system could houseprices are lower and the voids undermine this. rate at 4.45% is relatively high com- To the south of Newbold there pared to the other HMR areas and has are plans for the Kingsway Business risen from 3.55% in 2003. However Park. This is a major development that voids levels are still well below a level runs from Kingsway to the motorway that would cause concern. Overcrowd- and will take access from Junction ing is relatively high at 11.2% of the 21 of the M62. This will create up to stock but condition does not appear to 7,250 jobs as well as being a new be a problem in the area. gateway to the town. There will be an 31. A report by URBED, Kings Sturge and TPP for the Rochdale Development Agency

Balderstone Ward in 1910 Kirkholt is located to the south east of the area. The layout of Kirkholt means Rochdale with a population of 6,868 that no one without business in the people. It was built in the ten years af- area has any reason to go into the ter the war to accommodate overspill estate. Even the bus routes are cir- population from inner Rochdale and culars which link Kirkholt to the town stands on higher ground between the centre but nowhere else. The area of A637M to the west and the M62 to the Kirkholt with the poorest reputation is south. To the east it slopes down to the Hilltop area which is also the most Oldham Road and the neighbourhood isolated. There are less problems with of Balderstone. the sections of Kirkholt near to Oldham The neighbourhood is a Road and Queensway. typical garden city layout, similar to Wythenshaw in Manchester. The Population: Kirkholt is home to 6,868 housing form is predominantly semi- people living in 2,800 households detached with some short terraces giving an average household size of and cottage flats with front and back 2.45. The population is overwhelm- gardens. There are a small number of ingly of white origin (94.6%) with a low rise flats next to the Strand which small number of people of Pakistani is the main shopping centre for the and Nigerian origin. estate. The streets are winding with The average household mature trees and the topography of income in Kirkholt at around £12,300 the area makes it potentially very at- is lower than the average in the other tractive. It does however have a poor HMR areas of £14,000. More people reputation although it was very popular in Kirkholt have an annual income of when it was first built. This is typical between £5 - 15,000 and significantly of large council estates such as this, fewer households have an income and is made worse by the isolation of over £25,000 than the other areas.

32. The area is ranked as the 174th most opposite the Strand, the flats over the to property to meet the Decent Home deprived ward nationally and educa- shops and cottage flats throughout Standard. The property remaining tional achievement is poor with levels the estate. The walk-up flats opposite includes the Hill Top area and the flats. at Key Stage 2 lower in all subjects the Strand have had problems for Hill Top Primary school is closed and than the national and Borough aver- many years. Many were converted in the pupils have transferred to Sand- age. At GCSE the achievement level the 1980s to furnished accommoda- brook Primary School. Groundwork is less than a third of the national tion and work was also undertaken to have also undertaken some environ- average. There are also problems address security problems. This has mental works to open spaces in the with crime levels and anti-social improved the situation and the flats are area. behaviour. In the 1980s the estate nearly fully occupied. The flats over was the subject of a Home Office the shops are two and three bed units Masterplan: Even though Kirkholt was study on burglary prevention because which have experienced problems included in the Strategic Development at the time it has a burglary rate of along with the cottage flats. The main Framework for the five neighbour- almost 25% of properties a year. It has area of problems with the cottage flats hoods of Inner Rochdale, it was de- since fallen sharply, partly in line with is Kildare Crescent. cided by HMR that the final masterplan national trends but the perception of The ALMO estimates that should be dealt with independantly of crime in the area persists - both inside there have been 500 Right-to-buys in this process. URBED did create a plan and outside the community - the bus Kirkholt, with the greatest concentra- through an iterative and collaborative companies report that their drivers are tion to the east of the area. There has design process but the community reluctant to go through the area. also been a small amount of new build feeling was that the final plans were low cost home ownership in the heart too radical for the area. URBED’s Housing: The housing mostly dates of the estate. Indeed the tenure figures work can be seen in Appendix 5, it is from the period 1945 to 1953 and is show that only 50.5% of properties very important to note that the plans built in the Garden City style with wide are still rented from the Council and contained within the Appendix are fronted semi detached and short ter- around 1,000 (36.7%) are owner oc- referential only and are not illustra- races. 52.9% of property is semi-de- cupied. tive masterplans to be enacted by the tached and 22.9% are terraces. There HMR process. are 644 flats in the area representing Key projects: There are relatively just over 20% of the stock. These fall few projects planned in the area. The into three types; The walk-up flats ALMO are continuing with their work 33.