Droylsden Regeneration
There seems to be a number of new developments taking place
around Droylsden. We have a new bank due to the fact that the old Royal Bank Of
Scotland is being knocked down to make way for the new tram stop in the centre
of Droylsden. The old Petrol station on Medlock Street has now been knocked
down, the Sundial pub is now a small housing development.
No one seems to know what is happening to the old Co-op, half of
it has been knocked down and the Co-Op petrol station has been knocked down.
The Royal Mill that Geoffrey Reyner used for storage is now
being knocked down, and is being replaced by Barratt houses.
And then there's the propose new Marina Its all happening this year....
Anyway, here's some pictures to show what's going on....
Droylsden Marina
Recent
attention has focused on an area of around 5 hectares south of Manchester Road
in Droylsden town centre. This is the area immediately to the west of Market
Street alongside Fairfield Locks on the Ashton Canal. This area has the
potential for a comprehensive redevelopment for mixed uses which could include
leisure, food and drink, offices, retail and residential. The vision is for
new uses to be based around a pedestrian dominated, canal boat wharf and
marina but also linked into the rest of the town centre.
The area contains a mixture of land uses and open space in
a number of ownerships of which the largest is the Council. It presents a poor
appearance at present and the interior is relatively inaccessible. Opening up
the area to visitors and taking advantage of the canalside would enable
substantial new investment to be drawn in, contributing to regeneration on the
east side of Manchester.
The site is identified in the Unitary Development Plan
(DRO7) and a draft development brief has been prepared. The Council has
carried out preliminary consultations with businesses. A steering group has
been formed and British Waterways are keen to be involved.
Consultants have been appointed to carry out a
comprehensive feasibility study. The study is to include the most suitable
layout, possible extensions to the area involved, relocation requirements, a
project timetable, economic viability, financial assistance, ways of bringing
in developers, and public participation arrangements. The study is expected to
be completed by the end of the year.
Contact
Mark Tinsley : 0161
342 3380 | Kevin Aspin:
0161 342 3412
The following are recent pictures of the area before development takes
place :-
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View behind Droylsden Baths |
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Industrial Area next to Canal |
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Row of shops on market street, which have been demolished to make way for the marina. |
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Another view of the demolished shops. |
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Saint Mary's School
About
5 years ago St Mary's primary school was extended by building a fairly large new
school building in the playground. The playground was then moved onto some waste
land next to Droylsden Road. This land is now required to make room for the tram
terminal exit which will be placed in the main Droylsden Square. There was much
debate, and the whole fate of the tram extension hung on who would win the right
to the land. I believe it has now been settled with the council or development
body promising to knock the old part of the school down and replace it with a new multi
level building.
I believe that the Conservative club is being
knocked down.
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Old Royal Bank of Scotland |
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The Old Conservative Club |
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Well as it turns out, the Conservative club
was demolished, and a new one was built on the opposite side of the road
opposite next to the doctors surgery. The school is now finished, and the fate
of the Metrolink extension from Manchester to Ashton is still in the balance,
basically Droylsden is now waiting to see if the government will change its mind
about the decision to withdraw funding.
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The new Conservative Club |
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Metro Link Destruction
These pictures show the demolition of the pine
shop which used to be Blasters the decorating shop, as far back as I can
remember. Also there was a big hall structure which I found through talking to
some locals to be an old cinema. The earliest I can remember the building was
being a bingo hall. It then got turned into a snooker hall, and has been empty
for at least the last 5 years. Be honest the building was a bit of an eyesore
and I dare say we will be better off without it. Other places which have fallen
to the bulldozer due to the Metrolink coming to town are shown Below.
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Cinema / Old Snooker Hall / Bingo Hall |
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The Co-op...
The Co-op . Shopping Giant store has been half demolished.
This building used to be a full sized mill, owned by Courtaulds, I remember
seeing lots of bales of cotton being dropped off outside the mill. Since then
the top floors were knocked off it and the front cladded to make it look like it
was before they knocked half of it down !
No one seems to know what's happening, rumour has it that an indoor market is
being built.
The petrol station has been also been demolished.
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Half on the Co-op is demolished |
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Half the Co-op is missing ! |
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This is where the petrol station was |
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A new shopping complex was built on the site of the old co-op store and the old
Kwik Save was demolished in the corner of the precinct, thus opening up the
precinct up to the new shops.
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The new Kwik Save befor the signs were put up. |
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Royal Mill
The Royal Mill last used by Geoffrey Reyner Ltd is now being demolished, to
make way for a new Barratt estate. The firm has now moved to Oldham, and should
now put an end to the heavy haulage traffic on Market street. Although I have
spotted a few lost foreign trucks hanging about on Moorside street. I always
remember the Reyner trucks, having sat on a few in the Droylsden carnivals over
the years (That's when there were lots of floats in the carnival). I was born on
Market street and always remember how the house shook first thing in the morning
as the Reyner trucks rumbled past.
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View from the Sports Centre |
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Want to buy a new house ? |
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The Mill on its last legs |
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