Historic part of Rochdale granted special status
The status was granted following a consultation with residents in the area, with more than 85 per cent of locals backing proposals to turn it into a conservation area.
Syke has a unique and rich history, being located on a historic packhorse route, which was used to move goods between Lancashire and Cheshire before canals and railways were in widespread use.
The area also contains a number of weavers’ cottages, characterised by large numbers of small windows on their upper floors, which allowed in lots of light to enable more working hours in the days before electric lighting.
Conservation area status would help protect this unique history by enshrining particular protections within the planning process which would safeguard against unsympathetic development. It also celebrates and highlights the area as a place of special historic and architectural interest.
The new conservation area will mainly cover Syke Common, including historic buildings on Dewhirst Road and Syke Road, and parts of local woodland, which is known as Buckley Wood.
Councillor Danny Meredith, cabinet member for regeneration at Rochdale Borough Council, said:
“It’s wonderful to see the spotlight on yet another part of our borough’s heritage, with Syke now being granted conservation area status. It’s a worthy addition to the list of the borough’s existing conservation areas and it was good to see so many people getting involved in the consultation and showing how much they care about the history on their doorstep.”
Syke is now Rochdale’s 28th conservation area, with others already designated including Manchester Old Road in Middleton, which features a number of buildings designed by the late, celebrated architect, Edgar Wood and Catley Lane Head, which is known as Cotton Famine Road. Maclure Road, which features St John the Baptist Church and the old Rochdale fire station is also a conservation area, as is Heywood railway station on the East Lancs Railway and Phoenix Brewery.
