Rochdale Platform Park

We Made That were appointed to deliver proposals to transform the disused station platforms at Rochdale Station – a space that has self-seeded over the past 50 years – into a new space that ‘bakes in’ local stewardship to the community park.

The success of the project will rely on continuing support from local community and growing groups - and they should continue to form part of the co-design process to create a space that they have stewardship over. The proposals aim to make a feature out of the historic platform wall found on-site, as well as referencing the buildings that used to be on the platform when it was in use. A phased approach to opening up the park has been proposed to provide a feasible roadmap to delivering a space for the local community. The proposals also include a number of revenue-generating uses to allow for the park to pay for its own operation and maintenance.

This commission follows on from the Stage 1 work which set out a spatial brief and initial designs for the Platform Park, based on detailed site analysis, benchmarking against other public spaces, as well as research into local community groups.

The station opened in 1839 and was subsequently replaced by the current depot in 1889 due to increased traffic between Leeds and Manchester. The historic context of Rochdale Station has changed since - in 1979 the station was reduced from 8 platforms originally to 3 with a fourth platform being constructed in 2015 to relieve congestion at Manchester Victoria. The redundant platforms have self seeded over the last 50 years, with birch trees now growing in their place. There are remnants of the platform within the Platform Park boundary which can be used as an opportunity to celebrate and enhance local heritage. There is an opportunity to use the historic layout of the platform and its historic buildings (‘The Booking Office’ and the ‘Waiting Rooms’) in the proposals for the Platform Park.

Designs were informed by a co-design process which included workshops with targeted stakeholders, including a number of cultural and growing groups to set the direction and principles of the project, an online survey - and a wider public exhibition.

Through empowering local communities, routes to employment, healthy living and community cohesion can be created through a ‘bottom-up’ process. A sustained programme of uses that build over time and enable long term stewardship will likely bring tangible benefits for existing and new communities. This community open space should be a platform for co-design and local stewardship, for activity and events, greening, growing and healthy living and celebrating local character and heritage.

Proposed design moves for the Platform Park include utilising the old platforms as a feature, creating the ‘Peoples Platform’ -a central civic space at the entrance to the platform park - a hub for activity and a springboard to the other spaces, and occupying the historic footprints of the ‘Booking Office’ and ‘Waiting Rooms’ that used to be on the platforms.