​Transforming brownfield Radcliffe site into modern apartments

A new apartment development of four new flats in the centre of Radcliffe has been completed, providing a total of ten flats for local tenants as part of a wider project on the site

This is the second phase of the project to transform the former Radcliffe Times building and its adjacent land from a derelict brownfield site into affordable housing.

Working with North West-based Paul Cook Developments, Bury Council was able to create these one-bed flats, with a grant from Homes England to enable this exciting scheme to happen.

The council’s housing development team supported by housing construction specialists Arcus Consulting worked on the project.

The first phase of the development involved the conversion of the Church Street West building into six one-bed council flats in May.

The completion of this second phase on the adjacent land provides a further four flats for affordable rent. The flats are managed and let by Six Town Housing on behalf of the council.

Councillor Clare Cummins, cabinet member for housing services, said: “This demonstrates our commitment to delivering affordable homes to meet housing need in the borough.

“This prominent high street site, which was a derelict eyesore for years, now provides stylish new flats for affordable living, with large full height windows providing light and airy lounges with attractive views of the river.”

Sharon McCambridge, chief executive of Six Town Housing, said: “We are pleased to manage these new apartments as part of our wider portfolio of nearly 8,000 homes that we manage on behalf of Bury Council. We have already welcomed everyone into their new homes and are helping them to settle in.”

Council leader Eamonn O’ Brien added: “When it comes to new housing, our policy is ‘brownfield first’, and this site has been given a fresh lease of life and now provides much needed affordable housing in the area. We were really pleased to have been able to attract external funding for this project and hope to build on this success with some of our other brownfield sites.

“It also complements our wider plans to regenerate Radcliffe town centre for the next 10 to 15 years. The wider project here was also able to retain a key part of Radcliffe’s heritage with the “Radcliffe Times” façade being kept in place and refreshed.”

For more details, you can read the Radcliffe Strategic Regeneration Framework on the council’s website: https://www.bury.gov.uk/radclifferegeneration

ENDS

Press release issued: 22 September 2020.

Photo: The exterior and interior of the new flats on the former Radcliffe Times building.