Tameside to demolish Concord Suite’s upper floors

Going from five storeys to just one, the 1960s Droyslden function room and dance hall will soon be no more under plans put forward by the local authority.

The upper floors of the Concord Suite total 24,750 sq ft. They have been vacant since 2015 and subsequently fallen into disrepair with outdated fire safety measures in place.

Under the plans submitted by Hive Land and Planning, the ground floor of the Concord Suite would be retained, with a weatherproof roof and containment structure put on its top following the demolition.

The council had looked into what it would take to retain and repurpose the building, commissioning Cushman & Wakefield to compile a report. The result was that it would require substantial investment to get the building up to code and that market demand was constrained.

To that end, the council has opted for demolition. The goal is to completely raze the building, however current third-party interests have prevented the council from tackling that final ground floor.

Ridding the building of its upper floors, however, paves the way for a future, to-be-determined regeneration project.

“This application signals real progress and demonstrates our commitment to turning long-held ambitions into action,” said Cllr Andrew McLaren, Tameside’s executive member, growth, housing and homelessness.

“We want to see this site once again playing an important role at the heart of Droylsden, creating a better, greener, and more vibrant town centre for everyone and helping attract further investment into the town centre.”

He added: “This application is an important milestone, but it is also only one part of a much bigger programme of regeneration across Tameside. We will continue working with partners, investors and funding bodies to help unlock the future potential of this site and deliver the wider vision for Droylsden town centre.”

Joining Hive on the project team for the demolition are Graham + Sibbald, Freeley, KODA, RSK, AMROSE, CT Surveys, ECS Consultants, and Dunelm Ecology.

To learn more about the proposed work, search reference 26/00638/FUL on Tameside Council’s planning portal.