Green light to restore historic slopes in Rochdale town centre with grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund

The restoration of the historic Broadfield Slopes behind Rochdale Town Hall has moved a step closer after The National Lottery Heritage Fund approved an initial funding bid to develop plans to restore the area.

The council and RDA are looking to regenerate the site by restoring and developing existing and new pathways to make it more accessible and installing brand new lighting to create a safe, welcoming environment in what is an incredibly significant site within the Rochdale town centre conservation area.

Proposals also include the restoration of the Grade II listed Georgian Packer Spout fountain, which will be brought back into use as a water feature. New landscaping will also be part of the scheme.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund has approved the first stage of a £1m bid to fund the work. The council and RDA have £180,000 to work up their plans in more detail before submitting a round 2 bid later in the year, with a view to securing the rest of the funding.

The application for funding followed a public consultation with local residents, schools and other stakeholders which showed that people value the space, but feel that work needs to be done to make it feel more safe and accessible for people who are less mobile.

Residents will continue to be at the heart of the project as it develops, with the team exploring all the opportunities which the new space could create. Some of the flatter areas at the bottom of the slopes could open up the prospect of public performances by local theatre groups and the choir from St Chad’s Church, with the audience able to sit in the new Town Hall Square, which will open soon.

The team will be speaking to a number of local people, schools and community groups in the coming months as they put together a detailed activity plan, which will also form part of the stage two application.

The Broadfield Slopes are an historically highly significant part of Rochdale town centre, with research suggesting that the town’s medieval origins centre on the historic spring. Early industry emerged here because of the natural water spring which forms the Packer Spout Fountain. It is believed that a cotton mill which once sat at the bottom of the slope was partly powered by the natural water source in the area and that workers used to drink from the fountain. It is now in the heart of the Rochdale town centre conservation area.

Councillor Janet Emsley, cabinet member for equality, safety and reform at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “This area has an incredible history and has played a major role in the development of the town centre as a whole, but at the moment, it’s not reaching its potential.

“This project will restore the area and transform it into a welcoming space where people want to spend their time. We’ll be putting together a whole activity and events programme, to cover the period both during the work and after its completion, which all the community can get involved in and which will more than do justice to this unique area.

“Together with our new Town Hall Square and the newly restored Rochdale Town Hall, both of which will open soon, this will form an incredibly vibrant and uniquely stunning area in Rochdale town centre, which I know our residents and visitors will really enjoy.”

The round 2 bid to redevelop the slopes will be submitted to The National Lottery Heritage Fund in November this year. The decision is expected in March 2024 and, if successful, work should start later in 2024.

Helen Featherstone, Director, England, North at The National Lottery Heritage Fund said: “Thanks to National Lottery players, we’re delighted to support the first-round development phase of this project that will put heritage at the heart of the regeneration of Broadfield Slopes and the future of Rochdale’s townscape, ensuring it can be enjoyed by local people and visitors from further afield for years to come.”

Some trees were removed from the slopes after work on Town Hall Square discovered extensive damage to the Georgian drainage system underneath, which required site clearance. The council has already restored some of the habitat, with the creation of a brand new hedgerow at Broadfield Park primary school and new trees to be planted on the school grounds soon. New trees have also been planted on a site near Greenbank Street and Foxholes Road and at Foxholes near Heybrook primary school.

The first public event on the site, the Big Dig 2.0, is taking place in the last week of July and the public can book their free place to join this live archaeological excavation of the site. Anyone who would like more information can visit:  The Big Dig 2.0 Tickets, Multiple Dates | Eventbrite