Rochdale Town Centre Regeneration Open Day
Join Muse Architects and the wider project team for an introductory session on the emerging vision for the redevelopment of the former Wheatsheaf Shopping Centre.
The event is an opportunity for residents, the council, consultants, businesses and local stakeholders to view the early proposals, share feedback, and help shape a mixed-use town-centre neighbourhood with new homes, active ground-floor uses, public spaces and improved pedestrian connections through Rochdale.
A key town-centre site ready for a new future
The former Wheatsheaf Shopping Centre occupies a prominent position between Yorkshire Street, Baillie Street and Bell Street. For many years, it has formed part of Rochdale’s retail core. Today, much of the centre is vacant or underused, creating an opportunity to rethink how this important block can support the next stage of town centre regeneration.
The emerging proposal looks to replace the inward facing shopping centre with a more open, active and connected place. The aim is to create new streets, active frontages, public spaces and homes in a highly accessible town centre location.
Key site facts:
A prominent central Rochdale site.
Direct links to Yorkshire Street and Baillie Street.
Close to Rochdale Interchange, Metrolink and rail connections.
Adjacent to major regeneration at Rochdale Riverside and Upperbanks.
Why this matters:
This is an opportunity to repair a large town centre block, improve movement, increase natural surveillance and support a safer, more welcoming environment. New homes, public spaces and active ground floor uses could help bring long term footfall and daily life back into this part of Rochdale.
Reconnecting Rochdale Through Living Streets
A vision for a vibrant future
A Connected Future For Rochdale Living
A landscape-led vision for Rochdale town centre.
Transforming the former Wheatsheaf site after years of vacancy.
Creating a new mixed-use quarter with a clear regeneration purpose.
Delivering 450 new homes for the town centre.
Providing 10 commercial units to support active ground floor uses.
Introducing public realm, planting and outdoor spaces for residents.
Reconnecting the site with surrounding streets and town centre routes.
Supporting regeneration through density, activity and movement.
Shaping a new residential community with long-term place value.
Restoring activity to a key town centre site, the proposal brings life back to the former Wheatsheaf. It encourages safer, clearer pedestrian movement through the area and surrounding streets. Residential, commercial and landscape uses are brought together in one connected place, supporting local footfall, daily use and social interaction within the town centre. The scheme creates a stronger arrival point and a more active part of Rochdale’s urban fabric.
Reconnect The Block
Opening the site with routes between Yorkshire Street, Baillie Street and Smith Street.
Active Frontages
Ground floor uses will bring life, safety and activity back to surrounding streets.
Central Public Square
A landscaped square will create space for meeting, movement, planting and everyday use.
Town Centre Homes
New apartments and town houses will support living within a highly connected location.
Low Carbon Living
Green roofs, SuDS, cycle storage and fabric first design support sustainable town living.
Design Journey
Where We Are In The Design Journey
Design Journey:
From vacant centre to connected quarter:
The design began with reactivating the vacant former Wheatsheaf site. It developed around reconnecting streets, movement, landscape, homes and commercial uses. Each stage focused on public realm, density and long-term town centre value.
Mixed-Use Quarter
New homes, streets and activity
Purpose: To help reactivate the former Wheatsheaf site and support long-term town centre activity.
Outcome: Improved street connections, clearer movement and a more active part of Rochdale centre.
Glass Atrium
Status: Completed
Natural light through the existing atrium highlights the opportunity for a brighter public space.
Movement Core
Status: Completed
Purpose: Escalators, balconies and voids show how circulation can be improved through the centre.
Rooftop Potential
Status: Completed
Purpose: The roofscape offers opportunities for clearer routes, active edges and future public use.
Internal Connections
Status: Completed
Purpose: Reworking internal routes can better connect the site with surrounding streets.
Town-Centre Block
Status: Completed
Purpose: A key Rochdale site ready for new homes, commercial uses and stronger pedestrian links.
Active Ground Floor
Status: Completed
Purpose: Existing ground-level spaces can support new uses, footfall and a safer public environment.
Visualising Plot 2A
Key Views
Light, movement and public space shaping the heart of the site.
Existing structure informing a renewed mixed-use destination.
Upper-level views, stair movement and natural light.
Creating a brighter, more welcoming internal environment.
Bay Studies
Bay studies exploring frontage, rhythm and architectural character.
Community Input
Shaping Rochdale’s next town centre quarter
Town Centre Renewal
The proposal seeks to replace the obsolete Wheatsheaf Centre with a new mixed-use neighbourhood. The scheme brings together homes, commercial space, community activity, workspace and public realm within a highly accessible town centre site.
Connected Public Realm
The design reopens the town centre block by creating new pedestrian routes through the site. These routes will improve movement between Yorkshire Street, Baillie Street and Smith Street, while a new central landscaped square provides a clear focal point for residents, visitors and surrounding businesses.
Sustainable Town Centre Living
The proposal makes efficient use of a central brownfield site, delivering new homes close to public transport, shops, services and existing town centre facilities.
Key Design Priorities
Active Ground Floors: Commercial, leisure, community and flexible workspace uses are placed at ground level to support street activity and natural surveillance.
New Homes: The proposal includes 443 homes, made up of 421 apartments and 22 town houses, with a mix of one, two and three bedroom apartments.
Landscape And Amenity: The scheme includes a central landscaped square, gateway garden, private gardens, balconies, shared roof terraces and rooftop growing spaces.
Sustainable Movement: The site is close to Rochdale Interchange and the railway station. The proposal supports a car-lite strategy, with 120 parking spaces and 421 secure cycle spaces.
Low Carbon Design: The scheme uses a fabric-first approach, green roofs, SuDS, potential solar panels and low-carbon services to support long-term sustainability.
Expected Project Outcomes
A stronger, greener town centre
Sustainable Community Growth
The proposal seeks to replace an outdated, inward-facing shopping centre with a mixed-use neighbourhood that brings new homes, active ground floor uses and public spaces back into Rochdale town centre.
The scheme is expected to deliver 443 homes, including apartments and town houses, alongside commercial, leisure, community and workspace uses that support footfall, employment and daily activity.
The wider result is a more connected and sustainable town centre, with new pedestrian routes, a central landscaped square, green roofs, SuDS, cycle storage and improved public realm linking Yorkshire Street, Baillie Street and Smith Street.
- Date: 2 July, 2026
- Time: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
- Location: The Wheatsheaf Centre, Yorkshire Street, Rochdale OL16 1JZ
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