The revamp of Peine Square, which sits just in front of the Heywood Civic Centre, has seen almost £1 million invested into the area, with new seating, performance spaces and greenery all part of the revamp.
New paving and lighting has been installed, alongside informal play areas, while a power supply will ensure that the area can be used for a variety of events in the future.
The project is the first to be delivered as part of the government’s Pride in Place funding, which will see £20 million invested into Heywood over the next 10 years.
The Pride in Place project is led by the Heywood Town Board, a group made up of local residents, businesses, councillors and Heywood and Middleton MP, Elsie Blundell.
Brian Davies, chair of the Heywood Town Board, said:
“Peine Square is a key area in the heart of Heywood town centre and this project has been transformative. It will elevate the square from somewhere that people walk through to somewhere they want to relax and spend time. In addition, with new performance areas, electricity and lighting, the project has ensured that we can hold fantastic events here which will bring the community together, attract visitors and just animate the whole space.”
Councillor Angela Brown, Chair of the Heywood Township and member of the Heywood Town Board, said:
“What a project to kickstart this brilliant funding package for Heywood. The work has lifted this whole area and will give us the opportunity to stage fantastic events going forward and enhance existing favourites, like the 1940s festival. This is just the start of what the Town Board will be delivering for Heywood. While initial funding allowed us to deliver this project, we’ve submitted our wider proposals to government and are looking forward to hearing back from them in the spring.”
The redevelopment of Peine Square is part of a major regeneration of Heywood town centre. The multi-million pound refurbishment and extension of the Heywood Civic Centre, which has been funded by the Arts Council and Rochdale Borough Council, will complete early in the new year, while a series of major improvements to roads and paths in the area are set to be delivered by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM).
The redevelopment of Peine Square was designed by Landscape Architects, Planit, and has been undertaken by North-West based, Conlon Construction The scheme was delivered by Rochdale Development Agency (RDA) alongside appointed consultants, Hive Projects and Identity Consult.
