Radcliffe regeneration: Town centre buildings may be demolished

Proposals to knock down properties at 13-21 Blackburn Street and a former TSB bank have been sent to Bury Council for approval as part of £40m plans to redevelop the town.

Demolition of the town centre buildings will make way for the construction of new, three-storey civic hub with state-of-the-art facilities including a gym, swimming pools, offices, and a library.

Plans for the redevelopment of the Market Place area could also see both the Market Chambers, and the Market Hall chambers brought back into use with new commercial spaces, shops and a multi-use events space.

A CGI rendering showing the proposed link block in Radcliffe (Image: Buttress Architects)

The construction of a new link block between the two buildings is planned to provide public access across all four floors of the adjourning buildings. The exiting link block will be demolished under the plans.

The former TSB branch on Market Place shut in February 2021, leaving the town without a bank after Halifax closed in 2019.

Bury Council secured funding for the new civic hub in 2021 following a successful bid for a portion of the government's Levelling Up Fund.

The project is expected to cost a total of £40m, half of which will be funded by the council’s capital programme commitment.

The existing link block between Radcliffe Market and the Market Chambers is set to be demolished (Image: Buttress Architects)

The new hub will replace Radcliffe’s existing leisure centre with demolition, construction and refurbishments set to take place from now until summer 2024.

Last year architects were forced to present new designs for the hub after Bury Council faced a backlash from residents who dubbed it the "Radcliffe rustbucket".

Given the hub’s proximity to both a bus and Metrolink stop, the new hub is not expected to have any dedicated visitor car parking.