Plans to regenerate Radcliffe revealed

Ambitious plans to regenerate the town centre of Radcliffe are to be unveiled.

Council leader Mike Connolly will give a presentation at Radcliffe Township Forum, which meets at Radcliffe Civic Suite on Thursday 19 September at 6pm.

Members of the public and local traders can also view the plans, which focus on the market, bus station and future supermarket use, at subsequent events.

Cllr Connolly said: “This is an exciting time for Radcliffe town centre, and we want as many people as possible to look at these proposals and see how we plan to transform the area.”  

Councillor Andrew Fender, Chair of the TfGM Committee, said: “Together with Bury Council we want to create a new, modern and attractive bus station for Radcliffe. We think the new station will be a real improvement for passengers – able to accommodate both Ring and Ride services and a growth in the number of services that use the facility over current levels.”

The proposals:

Phase 1 – Improving Radcliffe Market Hall (start March 2014, finish November 2014)

The plans for Radcliffe Market include improving the inside and outside of the Market Hall. The plans include new stalls, new entrances, new windows and rooflights which will give the Market Hall natural light.  Outside, there will be new cladding on the building and better signs. The new Market Hall will have free wi-fi, a new café and new public toilets which will be open on market and non-market days. The finished new Market Hall will give a high quality and highly visible focus for Radcliffe town centre.

Phase 2 – New Radcliffe Bus Station (start July 2014, finish February 2015)

Bury Council is working  with Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) to design a new bus station on the site of the current Dale Street car park. Moving the bus station will give a more attractive development site for the proposed retail scheme and will also keep the bus station itself in a highly visible location at the heart of Radcliffe. The new, purpose built bus station will see brand new bus shelters provided within a public area offering safe walking routes in the town centre. Subject to the receipt of planning approval, the works could start on site in 2014.  

Phase 3 – Supermarket based retail scheme (start May 2015, finish February 2016)

This will start once the new market hall and bus station are finished. It is expected the space which is then available would be attractive for a 10,000 ft² supermarket with three smaller retail units which will occupy the site of the existing bus station and former Kwik Save store. There are plans for a new car park to serve these shops and the market next to the river. Bury Council’s aim is to appoint a developer for these business opportunities early in 2014. As the new market hall and bus station works are going on, this allows the developer to work up their own proposals for the retail scheme and the target date for work to start on site for the new shops is May 2015.

Consultation update:

People will have an opportunity to find out more at:

* Radcliffe Township Forum - 19 September, 6pm, Radcliffe Civic Suite – presentation by the Leader of the Council and the development team.

* Radcliffe Traders Group - 24 September, 5.30pm, Radcliffe Civic Suite – presentation by the development team.

* Exhibition Day - 1 October, 10am to 3pm, Radcliffe Market – scheme proposals on display attended by members of the development team.

ENDS

Press release issued: 18 September 2013.

Picture attached: An artist’s impression of the new market hall and café.