Railway refresh planned in Rochdale
Seed Architects has designed a new entranceway for the 196-year-old railway station at Station Road, part of the borough’s wider plan to revamp the area.
Rochdale Development Agency, a council-controlled company, recruited Seed for the project. Under Seed’s designs, the railway station’s northern entrance will receive a canopy seven metres longer than the current one. The canopy will also have a green roof with plans for the installation of even more plants, different seating, and bike racks.
The canopy itself has been designed to reflect Rochdale’s history, with the wave patterns meant to evoke spinning cotton fibres – a nod to the textile industry that dominated the town. The columns pay homage to the nearby entrance of Rochdale Town Hall.
“The new station forecourt works and canopy represent a step change in the significance of the station within the heart of a regenerating Rochdale town centre,” said Gary Seed, director of Seed Architects.
“This will improve the visual and amenity link between the town centre external works and the station entrance with it’s increased visual presence drawing people to better use the public transport system,” he continued.
“With a green roof covering, this also connects the green space to the south of the station to the north entrance of the station coupled with a sleek modern aesthetic.”
The improved entrance is just one part of Rochdale Council’s plans for the railway station – there is also an ambition to improve the underpass down the line.
Reflecting on the new entranceway plans, Rochdale cabinet member for housing and regeneration Cllr Danny Meredith said: “These proposals will create a real sense of arrival for the many thousands of visitors who travel through this station each and every year.
“It’s a major gateway in and out of the borough and these plans will ensure that its appearance reflects that, as well as introducing green features which will boost biodiversity.”
Meredith added: “Even more importantly, these improvements are part of a much bigger plan to substantially improve this whole area with new, high-quality homes, including social homes, on brownfield sites and a new public square as part of our wider rail strategy to create new homes and commercial and leisure spaces around our key transport hubs.”
The scheme Meredith alluded to is the authority’s Rochdale Rail Corridor Strategy, a masterplan geared towards revitalising the areas around the railway stations in the borough. At Rochdale Station, this includes a new station square to welcome visitors to the area, up to 1,700 homes, more than 40,000 sq ft of commercial space, and 25,000 sq ft of retail offerings.
You can review proposals for the Rochdale Station entranceway by searching reference number 25/00828/FUL on Rochdale Council’s planning portal. Interested in the wider strategy? Use reference 22/01551/FUL.
