Work to transform a stunning 19th century manor house in Rochdale into accommodation for veterans and a community café is now complete.
Work to transform a stunning 19th century manor house in Rochdale into accommodation for veterans and a community café is now complete.
The council-led project has seen Denehurst House, within Rochdale’s Denehurst Park, remodelled into 5 purpose-built apartments for former members of the armed forces, alongside a ground floor café and a changing places toilet facility.
Now the renovation is complete, the council’s partner on the project, Groundwork, will shortly be inviting expressions of interest for businesses who would like to run the café, while the council is working towards moving veterans in at a future date.
All original features, which include extensive ornate coving and bay windows, have been restored as part of the project, which was delivered on the council’s behalf by local contractors, H Bell and Sons.
Denehurst House has a fascinating history, having been built for Alderman, Robert Turner, founder of Turner Brothers Asbestos company, in the 1890s. It was originally set within extensive wooded and landscaped grounds, with a carriage turning circle and an ornamental fountain in front of the house.
The house and its grounds were donated to the town in 1932 and were later used as council offices, but it has been empty for a number of years.
Keen to find a new use for this historic building, the council came up with the idea of veterans’ accommodation, alongside a community facility, and councillors recently popped in to see the finished product first-hand.
The council will shortly be holding a public consultation as part of the process required by the Charity Commission to enable the building to be used as veterans’ accommodation.
Council leader, Councillor Neil Emmott, said:
“These types of projects; providing high quality, affordable homes for veterans, bringing our history back to life and creating local businesses and jobs, are exactly the kind of things we are proud to invest in and support as a council. Our teams have worked hard with partners to get to this point and I can’t wait to see veterans moving in and a thriving new business opening in the coming months.”
Councillor Danny Meredith, cabinet member for housing and regeneration at Rochdale Borough Council, said:
“What a unique project this has been. Not only have we restored a heritage asset, which has stood proud for more than a century, we are creating much needed homes for our veterans, to whom we owe such a debt. In addition, we’ve created a café, which will be available for the whole community, and will be a great asset for the many people who enjoy visiting this lovely park. We still have some final details to work through, but we’re committed to delivering this scheme and will update people when we have an opening date.”
Councillor Janet Emsley, mayor of Rochdale Borough Council and lead member for armed forces, said:
“I can’t think of a better use of this stunning historic property than the creation of homes for our veterans and these apartments really are fit for heroes. I’m blown away by the quality of workmanship. Alongside other initiatives like our guaranteed interview scheme for ex armed forces personnel and our regular veterans’ breakfasts, these fantastic new homes will provide a further boost to our ever-growing package of support for those who have bravely served their country. Lest we forget.”