Genr8 plans ‘gathering pace’ in Rochdale

Rochdale Council has submitted a planning application for the final leg of a link road aimed at easing traffic congestion around an area of the town centre planned for redevelopment.

The final section of road is part of a major investment of over £250m in Rochdale town centre and will support a number of new developments, including a recently opened Sixth Form College, new council offices, an extension to the Metrolink system and the proposed Transport Interchange, all due for completion over the next few years.

Genr8 Developments, a joint venture partnership between Chelsfield Partners and former Amec executive chairman, John Early, together with directors Richard Ingham and Mike Smith, has started a public consultation over plans for a £150m new retail and leisure development which supports the wider regeneration of the town centre.

Genr8 and the council have continued to develop proposals for the creation of a new shopping street along Baillie Street connecting to the existing town centre shops and the Wheatsheaf Centre.

A supermarket of up to 95,000 sq ft is being proposed and a department store with a 1,000 space car park will anchor the scheme. The proposals also include around 30 new retail units, a cinema, new cafes and restaurants to boost the towns evening economy. Genr8 hopes a planning application will be submitted at the end of the year.

In September last year, Genr8 agreed terms with Kajima as funding partner to take them through the planning phase of the project.

Kajima Partnerships is a public private partnership and private finance initiative provider which is a UK subsidiary of Kajima Corporation of Japan.

The developer and Kajima instructed Manchester-based retail and leisure property consultancy Cheetham & Mortimer as sole agents in May this year to advise on the Rochdale town centre development.

Mike Smith, partner at Genr8, said: "Our plans for the regeneration of Rochdale town centre are gathering pace. The announcement of the final leg of the link road is a huge boost and demonstrates the council's ongoing commitment to the town centre as a whole. At the same time we have been seeking the public's views on what they want for Rochdale in shopping terms and we believe we have a scheme which will be best in class."

Rochdale Council held consultations in April and May to give the public an update on the leisure and retail plans and Genr8 said there will be further consultations but none are planned immanently.

Genr8 added further announcements are expected shortly in terms of anchor tenants at the scheme.