Being well known for our garden villages, we have just submitted a hybrid application for a collection of homes, community facilities, green spaces and tree-lined streets on almost 90 hectares of land, off Rochdale Road.
Plans for new community facilities include the potential for shops and land for the extension of St Johns Primary School.
Located in a well-connected part of the borough, between the towns of Rochdale and Middleton, the mixed-use development would adjoin the existing communities of Slattocks and Castleton.
Robin Buckley, planning director for our Lancashire division said: “Our plans are for a desirable new garden neighbourhood, with the design led by the local landscape and distinctive character areas created throughout. Our aim is to create a thriving new community with high quality and much-needed new homes, abundant green spaces with habitats for wildlife, and space provided for new community infrastructure. This includes plans for a 13.4-hectare park to the south, featuring footpaths, ecological enhancements and plenty of opportunities for play and recreation. A wildlife meadow is also proposed, along with green corridors designed to be suitable for foraging, while space has also been set aside for a local centre, potential community allotments and the expansion of Thornham Primary School.”
We already own 8.8 acres of the land, formally the All in One Garden Centre, and will acquire further parcels subject to planning. The wider site, including land around the existing Stakehill Industrial Estate, is designated for mixed use in the emerging Places for Everyone Joint Development Plan.
The proposed development would include 233 homes in the first phase, for which we have submitted a detailed application. This includes a range of two, three, four and five-bedroom homes, of which 15% would be designated affordable. An additional 1,147 properties are included in an outline planning application.
The first phase of the development is close to the Grade II listed St John Thornham Church and Thornham Parish War Memorial. Although both are outside the application site boundary, we are proposing to preserve the setting of each by creating a buffer of open space between the historic buildings and the new homes. The architecture of the closest homes, located within the Heritage character area, will be in-line with the design code for the development, involving the use of traditional architectural styles and building materials which are sympathetic and respond positively to the Church and its setting.
Subject to planning, it is hoped construction could begin on the first phase as early as autumn 2024 with the first homeowners moving in in 2025. The overall development would be phased over approximately 15 years.
We already have a strong reputation in the borough of Rochdale, with past developments including Birch Grange and Stubley Fold. Our closest current development is Bishop Meadows, in Cowlishaw. We are working with planning consultants Stantec on plans for the site. For more information on where we are building across Greater Manchester visit our dedicated page.
