A river and its 800-year old bridge, which were covered over and forgotten about in the early 20th century, are going to be seen again if a new plan gets approved to rejuvenate the English town of Rochdale.
Rochdale council, working with the Environmental Agency and the Heritage Lottery Fund, have already committed £500,000 to the £4.2 million project that will see three sections of the River Roch uncovered from the centre of Rochdale, a town in Greater Manchester. The plan will also restore a bridge that was first built in the 13th or 14th centuries, and is am extremely rare example of medieval engineering.
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They were covered over between 1904 and 1923 by a giant bridge as part of the development of the town. John Percival, Capital Programmes Manager at Rochdale Borough Council, explained to the Manchester Evening Post that “The plan is now to take away some sections of culvert and reveal the river and the historic bridges. We are going to introduce natural features back into the river that are under the culvert. The idea has been around for ages and we are looking at this in relation to the regeneration of the whole of Rochdale town centre.”
Rochdale Councillor Peter Williams added, “Reopening the river here is another huge step in Rochdale’s regeneration. It will build on the historical character of this area and offer residents and visitors an attractive environment to come and visit and spend time in.”
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If the final plan is approved by English Heritage, it is expected that work to open up the bridge and reveal the river will commence in 2014 and finish by early 2015.
A river and its 800-year old bridge, which were covered over and forgotten about in the early 20th century, are going to be seen again if a new plan gets approved to rejuvenate the English town of Rochdale.
Rochdale council, working with the Environmental Agency and the Heritage Lottery Fund, have already committed £500,000 to the £4.2 million project that will see three sections of the River Roch uncovered from the centre of Rochdale, a town in Greater Manchester. The plan will also restore a bridge that was first built in the 13th or 14th centuries, and is am extremely rare example of medieval engineering.
They were covered over between 1904 and 1923 by a giant bridge as part of the development of the town. John Percival, Capital Programmes Manager at Rochdale Borough Council, explained to the Manchester Evening Post that “The plan is now to take away some sections of culvert and reveal the river and the historic bridges. We are going to introduce natural features back into the river that are under the culvert. The idea has been around for ages and we are looking at this in relation to the regeneration of the whole of Rochdale town centre.”
Rochdale Councillor Peter Williams added, “Reopening the river here is another huge step in Rochdale’s regeneration. It will build on the historical character of this area and offer residents and visitors an attractive environment to come and visit and spend time in.”
If the final plan is approved by English Heritage, it is expected that work to open up the bridge and reveal the river will commence in 2014 and finish by early 2015.
Click here to learn more about the plan from Rochdale Borough Council
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