North West

Developing Number One Riverside

Number One Riverside 

A state-of-the-art municipal building is currently under construction in Rochdale.

Number One Riverside is an open-plan six-storey development that is being built for Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council. Once complete the development will provide office space for over 2000 Council employees, partners and tenants, alongside a number of facilities for the local community.

The ground floor of the development will comprise a customer services department, library, coffee shop and restaurant, whilst half of the first floor will be used as a training and conference facility. The remaining floors of the site will be used as office space for Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council, its partners and tenants and will include a series of grouped meeting areas for staff to engage with each other.

This development is also seen as a catalyst for the wider physical regeneration of Rochdale Town Centre which includes the construction of a new transport interchange, the arrival of Metrolink and a new retail and leisure development in the town centre.

Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council Programme Manager, Christine Jones, said:

“In 2008 a business case was compiled to construct a new facility that would enable 2000 staff from approximately 50 buildings in Rochdale to relocate into one central development. By amalgamating services into one site this would save the Council money but at the same time allow us to deliver a quality public space that benefits the community.

“Number One Riverside has been specifically designed as an open-plan development to encourage staff to interact with one another so they can share and develop their ideas in a more efficient way.

Number One Riverside

“One of the schemes that we are running alongside the construction of this development is an internal transformation programme that will allow the Council to improve the way it works and this site will be an important step in this programme.”

Work began on Number One Riverside in April 2011 with Sir Robert McAlpine as the main contractor and FaulknerBrowns as the architect.

The development is being built using a reinforced concrete frame that is supported by precast concrete driven piles and has incorporated a membrane roofing system. The external facade comprises a mix of Reglit glazing, precast concrete panels, fibreC and aluminium.

The sustainability of Number One Riverside is a very important aspect of the project and so all efforts are being made to ensure the development is as cost effective and environmentally friendly as possible. A bio-mass boiler will provide power to the development, whilst solar shading will eliminate the need for air conditioning and greenwater storage tanks will be housed on the roof to harvest rainwater. The building is predicted to achieve a BREEAM ‘excellent’ rating.

To complete the project some external landscaping will take place. This will include the installation of paving, plants and concrete seating, whilst a secure storage area for 100 bicycles will also be created along with 19 DDA compliant parking spaces that can be used by members of staff and the general public.

Sir Robert McAlpine Project Manager, Paul Walker, said:

“Number One Riverside is a one-off development that will effectively be two buildings running parallel with a central atrium in between. The two sides of the complex will be linked together by bridges to create a bright open space within the development and was designed to follow the contours of the River Roch.”

“In terms of its design there aren’t many developments in the North West that can compare to this one. Number One Riverside ticks all the boxes in terms of modernising facilities and when it is complete it will look fantastic.

“The development will be something Rochdale people can be proud of and Sir Robert McAlpine is thrilled to be playing its part in the transformation of the town centre and Rochdale Borough.”

Number One Riverside is scheduled for completion in November 2012.

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