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The Rock | Bury | 1.6 million sq ft

91K views 220 replies 41 participants last post by  markydeedrop 
#1 ·
With ‘The Rock’, a £350 million project being delivered in partnership with Bury Metropolitan Borough Council, Thornfield aims to bring vitality back to a run-down area of Bury town centre. The forward-thinking scheme will deliver over 1.5 million sq ft, including retail, leisure, restaurants and residential accommodation and a 1,250-space multi-storey car park. One of the other major improvements also to be delivered by Thornfield, is a new 40,000 sq ft medical centre offering 24-hour care for local residents. Completion of the commercial element of The Rock is forecast for summer 2010.

Partnership

Working with partners Bury Metropolitan Council, we embraced the views of the local community, embarking on a full-blown nine-month consultation period. This approach enabled us to deliver a detailed policy document, outlining our plans to key officers and members of the Council. New anchor stores, an exciting new leisure quarter and a significant number of new homes were all key features of our proposals. Our scheme also promised to deliver distinctive new buildings and urban spaces to improve the look of the town and, in doing so, restore a sense of local pride.

Retail

The scheme will deliver 500,000 sq ft of retail space, anchored by two large department stores for Debenhams (103,000 sq ft) and Marks and Spencer (75,000 sq ft). There will be a number of large double-height, flagship units ranging from 10,000 - 20,000 sq ft each, two of which have been pre-let to Next and River Island. There will be a further 50 standard shop units.

Leisure

The new leisure quarter, which will total 100,000 sq ft, will include a stunning new 10-screen cinema, pre-let to Vue, alongside other family entertainment facilities such as a 25-lane ten pin bowling unit, pre-let to AMF, a 20,000 sq ft Bingo unit and 8 family themed restaurants, including one already pre-let to Pizza Express. When complete, the development will provide a colourful and accessible evening destination, reclaiming custom from isolated leisure parks and bringing family based evening activity back into the town centre.

Housing

In line with government policy and the desires of the Council and wider local community, the scheme will include a significant residential component. 397 new apartments will interweave with the commercial scheme, bringing a greater integration of the community within the town centre.





























Associated Development









For comparison, Bury's existing shopping centre





All pictures taken 06/09/08

http://www.thornfieldproperties.co.uk/index.php
 
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#167 ·
Madness.

The Aldi at the junction of Higher Lane/Bury Old Road/Bury New Road is just less than a mile away. As is the Lidl in Sedgley! These are both on the same road!

I am against this because:
1. Bury New Road is already a traffic nightmare for most of the day.

2. I am a resident of Prestwich. Despite using Aldi regularly, I think that the presence of an Aldi, makes this (somewhat up-itself) area seem more downmarket... A true NIMBY! I work for a company who is an integral part of the planning process for one of the 'big four' supermarkets and from my experience most locals love a Booths, Waitrose or M&S, are apathetic to Sainsburys and Morrisons, hate a Tesco and Asda but absolutely loathe the discounters.

Interestingly, though this may be despite the NIMBYist perhaps not ever having set foot in a Waitrose, but using a Lidl quite frequently.

3. I'm sure that Aldi will have produced retail spend evidence as part of their application but the area already has enough competition, including amazing local provision. Bury New Road already hosts:
Morrisons, Whitefield
Co-Operative, Besses
Aldi, Besses
Tesco, Valley Park Way,
M&S Simply Food, Prestwich Village
Butchers, Prestwich Village
The Cheese Shop/Delicatessen, Prestwich Village
Greengrocer, Prestwich Village
Quality Save, Prestwich Village
Martin's Bakers, Prestwich Village
Bargain Savers, Prestwich Village
Iceland, Prestwich Village
Shefa Mehedrin, Sedgley
Royal Bake Bakers, Sedgley
Ta'am Deli, Sedgley
El Greco Deli, Sedgley
Sainsburys Local, Sedgley
Mace, Sedgley
Lidl, Sedgley

Prestwich is also the heart of the catchment area for the Tesco Express on Bury Old Road, David's (Greengrocer/Fishmonger) on Bury Old Road, Boyko's deli, Vidal's butcher, Gough's and Windsor Supermarket and on Windsor Road as well as part of the catchment for:
Asda, Radcliffe
Asda, Unsworth
Sainsburys, Heaton Park
Asda Supermarket, Broughton
Tesco Cheetham Hill
M&S Simply Food, Manchester Fort
Tesco Extra, Middleton

Apologies for such an angry, negative post, but please god, no!
 
#168 ·
Shut club faces demolition in new town centre plan



A LANDMARK Bury building will be reduced to rubble if an ambitious plan to redevelop the site of the former Sol Viva nightclub is given the go-ahead.

Thornfield Properties (Bury) Ltd wants to demolish the former nightspot and cinema in Rochdale Road and to provide four new modern restaurant-cafe units which could create up to 86 new jobs. Also planned is a covered walkway.

The company has submitted a planning application to Bury Council and hopes the units will be occupied by national chain restaurants not currently represented in the town centre.

Research by the developer has already identified a number of restaurant operators who have an expressed an interest in the scheme, given its close proximity to leisure facilities on The Rock.

The building operated as the Odeon cinema from 1936 until 1981, became The Arena roller skating rink and subsequently The Roxy and Sol Viva nightclubs.

It was a well-known and popular entertainment venue for generations of Bury people.

In a statement submitted to Buy Council in support of the application, Thornfield’s agents, GVA, says: “The site is the final underdeveloped building that forms part of The Rock retail and leisure scheme and will complete the links between The Rock and the wider town centre.

“The four units will be linked by a covered, shared space area. External customer seating areas are proposed within the covered area with a pedestrian walkway running through the site.

“As well as improving links to the town centre, improving the restaurant and evening economy offer at The Rock will strengthen the town centre as a whole as a family-orientated retail and leisure destination.

“The current proposed restaurant uses, therefore, remains the only viable option to achieve a substantive development in a key transition area of the town centre between the traditional shopping areas towards the Mill Gate centre and The Rock development to the north.”

However, it seems that many people in the town want the building retained.

Bury resident Patricia Crossley says she has been in dialogue with several people via Facebook.

She said: “There has been a veritable storm of objections to the demolition of the old Odeon cinema, latterly Sol Viva. The town has already lost Hornby Buildings just, it seems, to widen walkways and provide advertising hoardings.

“Now, this art deco example is destined to become a collection of cafes and fast food outlets. How many of these does a town need?”

l The application is due to be considered at the next meeting of Bury Council’s planning committee on November 13.
http://www.burytimes.co.uk/news/100..._demolition_in_new_town_centre_plan/?ref=mmsp
 
#173 ·
Restaurants to complete The Rock

23 Nov 2012, 10:57

Hammerson is to develop the final part of The Rock Bury; four restaurants on the site of the old Sol Viva nightclub.

The site has been cordoned off since the £350m retail-led scheme opened in July 2010. The Rock was started by Thornfield but completed by Hammerson after Halifax Bank of Scotland put subsidiary Thornfield Ventures into administration.

Architect BDP designed the Rock and was retained for this final piece of the jigsaw.

GVA obtained full planning permission for the restaurant phase on behalf of Hammerson. Chris Argent, associate at GVA, said: "To receive planning permission within five weeks of application submission is testament to the quality of the scheme and collaborative working with Bury Council.

"The restaurant scheme will enhance the vitality and viability of Bury town centre and achieve a quality development in a key transition area between the traditional shopping areas and The Rock development. There is significant demand from national chain restaurants for representation in Bury town centre and the scheme will further enhance the evening economy and importantly the family-orientated leisure offer."
http://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/news/archive/12658-restaurants-to-complete-the-rock.html
 
#174 ·
When I lived in Manchester a load of us Man Uni students used to go to Sol Viva, tacky and awful, the building itself was fake so glad this building is being demolished. Bury has got to be one of the best metro area's in Manchester, certainly on the north side of the city I can't think of an area to better it and so quick on the Met to get to from the city. I will be coming over from Leeds next week, looking forward to re-visiting Manchester and having a look around Bury to see what further improvements have taken place in on of my fave places in Greater Manchester. :cheers:
 
#179 ·
Retail Update from Bury

3 new signings at The Rock, with work going on in all 3 units.

1) Swarovski is moving into The Rock (no pic for this)

2) Work continues on the new Greggs unit



3) Bit of a surprise this one - but 99p Stores are taking the old Peacocks unit



One other retailer added to the Mill Gate line up

Lover Forever

 
#182 ·
NEW BURY 99P STORES OPENS NEXT WEEK AS UK RETAIL BOSS DECLARES:

“Value buying has become TRENDY”

Britons – and those in Greater Manchester and the North-West – have become hooked on value buying, according to the boss of one of Britain’s fastest expanding retailers.

The co-founder and co-owner of the rapidly-multiplying value brand Hussein Lalani – who recently announced his company is creating 3,000 new jobs – also says it has now become “trendy” to shop at his 215-strong branch brand.

The assertion comes as a brand new 99p Stores opens at 9.30am this Wednesday (12th December 2012) at 9.30am at a former Peacocks in Bury at the landmark Rock Shopping Centre which has is a magnet for all over the North-West.

99p Stores bosses describe this part of the Rock where 99p Stores is opening as “the posher part of town”. “It’s now trendy at shop at 99p Stores” added Hussein Lalani boss of the Value Brand today.

The new store sees the creation of 30 new jobs.

And to celebrate the opening Santa Claus will be performing world trolley charity dash bid. It’s the very first time Santa has done this at a 99p Stores opening (normally it’s a shopper). If he matches the world record (267-items in 99 seconds) his haul and trawl will be doubled. If he beats it –the booty will be trebled.

Santa will performing the dash at 9.20am just before the store opens this Wednesday (12th December 2012).

Currently there are 215 UK branches of 99p Stores (11 years ago there was just one). The new Bury 99p Stores will be branch no. 216. More stores are planned for the North-West over the next year too.

The new state-of the-art store – with a sales floor of 6,714 sq. ft. – is undergoing a £250,000 makeover ahead of next week’s Grand Opening.

Mr Lalani says there has been a dramatic sea change in the public’s spending patterns, leading to the explosion of 99p Stores from one in 2001 to 215 today.

“When shoppers come in its heads held high and afterwards onto Facebook and Twitter sharing the great ‘value’,” he says. “It never used to be like that.

“99p Stores attracts shoppers from every nook and cranny of society, including celebrities and pop stars.

“The days of coming in – and out – undercover are a thing of the very ancient past.”

99p Stores – HQ: Northampton – typically sells around 5,000 different products at each of its stores – everything from 99p fishing lines and Christmas puds, to pregnancy kits and garden gnomes. 99p Stores also has all the well-known household brands including L’Oreal, Colgate, Disney, Johnson’s, Nivea, Dove, Palmolive, Coca Cola and Radox.

Mr Lalani adds:

“We conduct constant research and feedback and what has been coming across loud and clear in the UK and the North-West is that the public are fed up of having been ‘ripped off’ for years by the so-called Big Four supermarkets, paying up to three times the price for essentials like washing-up liquid, tea and coffee, toothpaste and the like.

“At 99p Stores if you buy 20 items you know what it will cost you – less than twenty pounds. At other stores shoppers have become nervy – they haven’t a clue what the final bill will be.”
http://www.buryadvertiser.org/ads/99p-store-opens-next-week-in-bury/
 
#184 · (Edited)
Signage for the new Burger King at The Rock is now up.



Burger King plans aggressive expansion

Perhaps reflecting the growth of the quality burger market in the UK, Burger King has signed to open four more restaurants at the Rock, Bury, the Queensgate Centre, Peterborough, Freeport Talke Outlet Village, Staffordshire, and Meridian Leisure Park, Leicester.

These are reported to be the first in a wave of new openings to come as Burger King sets about a vigorous expansion policy which will see as many as 200 locations added to its restaurant portfolio in the next five years.

In parallel, refurbishment of existing outlets is being undertaken, and a rebranding is being considered.
http://www.hospitalityandcateringnews.com/2012/12/burger-king-plans-aggressive-expansion/
 
#187 ·
Leisure centre to be demolished and replaced

Castle Leisure Centre and the town’s former police headquarters are to be demolished and replaced by a supermarket.

Council chiefs have unveiled ambitious plans to redevelop Irwell Street, which will see the sports complex rebuilt opposite the town hall.

The new food store would only go ahead once the new leisure centre was constructed at Knowsley Place, on top of the Q Park.

The proposals were approved by the council’s cabinet last night.

Bury Council will enter into a three-year agreement with its development partner Ask, which will take the scheme forward and market the site at Irwell Street to potential food retailers and investors.

The planned leisure centre would be funded by the sale of the site and no public money is to be spent.

Cllr Mike Connolly, leader of Bury Council, said: “This is a fantastic proposal which we hope will bring yet more investment and jobs to Bury, following major developments in recent years such as The Rock. The success of The Rock has greatly enhanced Bury’s attractiveness to visitors.

“However, we also need to look at regenerating other parts of the town centre, such as Bolton Street.

“Studies have shown that we need an improved town centre food offer, which regenerates the derelict site of the police building and creates significant job opportunities for local people.

“We would also have new and sustainable high quality leisure facilities at Knowsley Place in a modern, more efficient environmentally friendly building.

“It would be ideally situated, close to the transport interchange, the new Premier Inn and the local colleges, and with car parking beneath it.”

He continued: “I want to reassure our staff and the thousands of leisure centre members that they will enjoy the very latest in leisure facilities and we hope they too will stay with us as we look to provide this new leisure centre for them and all our residents.”

Cllr Connolly added: “It’s early days, and I can’t go into the funding details at this stage, but these are ambitious and realistic plans that keep us one step ahead of the game.

“We are determined to keep this town and borough going forward and continue to make Bury a great place in which to live, work, study and to visit.”

If the foodstore goes ahead, it will mark the latest phase in the enviable renaissance and regeneration of the town centre which has seen the completion of the £350 million Rock shopping and leisure complex and the multi-million pound Knowsley Place development which includes the £10 million health centre and a £6.5 million Premier Inn.

And the thriving Chamberhall site in Bury currently occupies the town’s new £1.8 million fire station, which opened last year, and has been the home of the £16 million police headquarters.
http://www.burytimes.co.uk/news/10349419.Leisure_centre_to_be_demolished_and_replaced/?ref=mr
 
#188 ·
Old Bury paper mill to be transformed into £8.4m fire training complex

10 acres of industrial wasteland, which features a large warehouse, tunnels, bridges, embankments and a stretch of river, will be used to train Greater Manchester's firefighters



Plans to build an £8.4m fire service training complex on the site of a former paper mill have been revealed.

The 10-acre area of industrial wasteland in Bury will be used to train firefighters across Greater Manchester.

The land’s existing features include a large warehouse, tunnels, culverts, bridges, embankments and even a stretch of river – making it the perfect site for firefighters to hone their life-saving skills. The facility, once complete, will be a model for fire and rescue training in the region and beyond.

It will also mean Greater Manchester firefighters will not have to travel to attend ‘costly’ training days at the Fire Service College in Gloucestershire.

The site, on Wellington Street, has been bought by Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service from Milliken Industrial Ltd, which used the land for storage.

The £8.4m cost, from fire service funds, represents the total spend on the project, from design through to completion. Early estimates indicate that it could open in 2014.

Fire bosses said the site would be used to provide ‘realistic training scenarios’ and take training policies ‘to a new level’.

The site will also be opened up to the community, with plans to run safety courses for children. Public viewing areas will also be built so the public can watch firefighters in action.

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co...-news/old-bury-paper-mill-transformed-2821838
 
#189 ·
£500k store to create new jobs

HOME Bargains is creating up to 40 new jobs with the opening of a £500,000 flagship store in Bury this weekend.

The Mayor of Bury, Cllr Joan Grimshaw, will cut a ribbon to officially open the store to shoppers at the Moorgate Retail Park on Saturday at 8.30am.

The top brand, bottom price retailer’s new store will replace the former MFI unit, next to Carpetright.

The new store will be the third to open in the area, and the 20th Home Bargains to open in Lancashire — joining more than 300 in the UK.

With plans to open another 50 stores throughout the country over the next 12 months, the discount retailer is bucking current trends in the industry.

Joe Morris, operations director at Home Bargains, said: “We’re excited to be opening our new Bury store and look forward to welcoming customers. Moorgate Retail Park will be a great location for us.”

The 20,000 sq ft flagship store will sell a selection of homewares and other goods, including health and beauty, household, sweets, snacks, drinks and alcohol.

TJ Morris Ltd, which trades as Home Bargains, was established more than 30 years ago, opening its first store in Liverpool. The family-owned and run company is one of the largest based on Merseyside.

The discount retailer attracts more than three million customers each week, and has an e-commerce website, so customers can shop online.
http://www.burytimes.co.uk/news/10364272.__500k_store_to_create_new_jobs/?ref=mr
 
#191 ·
New Lidl proposed for the former Gasworks (Victoria Street) site

Registration Date: 21/06/2013

Ward Name: Bury West - Church

Location: Former Gasworks, Victoria Street, Bury, BL8 1LE

Proposal: Erection of 1598 m2 retail foodstore (Class A1), 325 m2 (Class B1/B8) unit and 325 m2 trade/bulky goods unit (Class A1) together with car parking and landscaping

Case Officer: Helen Longworth

Decision: This case has not yet been decided

Appeal Received Date: This case has no appeals against it
http://e-planning.bury.gov.uk/DCWeb...PNAME=Root.PgeResultDetail&TheSystemkey=45842
 
#196 ·
Town centre bus depot could be replaced with supermarket

A TOWN centre bus depot could be demolished to make way for a multi-million-pound super-market, creating 450 jobs.

Developers have tabled plans to knock down the First Bus depot at the junction of Rochdale Road and Derby Way and build a superstore and petrol station in its place.

But they are keeping tight-lipped about which company would move into the supermarket, which would occupy 10,499 square metres — roughly the size of one-and-a-half football pitches.

The supermarket would be open 24 hours a day except on Sunday when it would open for six hours.

It would create 350 full-time posts and 100 part-time posts.

Outline plans were submitted to Bury Council last week and a consultation period is under way, ending on August 2.

A First spokesman said: “We can confirm we have been in discussions with developers for a number of years now, but it is not within our gift to comment on any final use of the existing site.

“Our focus is, and has always been, on identifying an alternative site or sites for our operations and we are confident that we will do this in due course.

“There will be no adverse impact on jobs or the services we provide from our Bury depot.”

He added that First does not yet know where it would store its buses if the proposal becomes reality. According to a report sent from developers to the council, the site is made up of the First Bus depot and the Wallwork Heat Treatment Ltd site, both next to The Rock shopping centre.

A report says: “The (supermarket) would be “on stilts” with approx-imately 500 car parking spaces underneath and the petrol filling station to the south west of the site.

“All existing buildings on the site would be demolished.

“Access for customers travelling by car would be via Derby Way and Rochdale Road.

“While our clients remain in ongoing discussions with interested retailers, it is currently not possible to confirm the operator of the store.”

The applicants are First Bus and Morbaine, a commercial development firm whose website says it has “built up a substantial property portfolio, including Tesco, Sainsbury’s and B&Q stores.”

Sainsbury’s and Tesco have both told the Bury Times they are not involved in the project.

The council is aiming to reach a decision on the submission by October 8.
http://www.burytimes.co.uk/news/105...ot_could_be_replaced_with_supermarket/?ref=mr
 
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