An update on College Bank - October 2024

Work is now set to push ahead with exploring all options for the future of the seven College Bank tower blocks in Rochdale.

At the same time, improvement works on the tower blocks and surrounding open space are getting underway, to improve the everyday environment for the 250 or so Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH) customers who call the blocks home.

This comes after an “exclusivity agreement” with Legal & General Affordable Homes (LGAH), to explore a partnership that could have seen a financially viable solution for bringing all homes in the seven blocks back into use, came to an end.

This means that RBH is now pursuing all other options to move the planned redevelopment of College Bank forwards.

Amanda Newton, RBH Chief Executive, said: 

“Our customers are the reason we are here. We are absolutely committed to ensuring all the 28,000 people who live in our homes have safe, warm and affordable places to live, now and for the future. This means it’s critical we make sound financial decisions and spend every penny of our customers’ rent money wisely, with their best interests at heart.

“Unfortunately, we have not been able to reach a commercially viable agreement that both RBH and LGAH were comfortable with from a risk perspective.  This means that the exclusivity agreement has now come to an end, and RBH will be looking to explore options independently.   

“We know this will be disappointing for our customers living in College Bank, but the work completed in the past months has taken us forward and will not be lost.  Considering options independently will take a number of months, and whilst we know this brings further uncertainty, we will continue to engage with residents throughout.”

RBH is now pressing on with structural surveys, demand analysis, ground investigations and financial modelling that will inform the next steps. At the same time, improvements to the blocks and the outside space, that College Bank customers said was important to them, will take place.

Ms Newton added:

“We will keep talking to our customers all the way, as these works progress, so they can help us create quality and affordable homes that are fit for families now and for generations to come.”