An urban ramble around Rochdale

We’re interested in having creative conversations with local communities around the Station Gateway development. But we want to do this in a creative way, inviting locals to take unexpected or unusual journeys through the area to perhaps see it in a different light.

To that end, we’ve commissioned a number of local artists to come up with creative walks that encourage conversation, ideas and unexpected detours of imagination! We think this is a great way to not only re-look at what’s there, but to really think about how we feel about our place and push our ideas of what’s possible.

One of these recent walks was led by Manchester-based sketcher, writer and photographer Len Grant. Starting at Rochdale station, Len took the group on an urban roam around the Milkstone Road area, capturing local history, conversations and features of the landscape as we wandered.

Through Len’s work, we’ve started to build an alternative picture of Rochdale. One that might not come up through traditional public consultation. His drawings and notes capture something of the spirit of the place, its identity and the people who live here. All of these thoughts, wanderings and ideas will feed into how we think about plans for the local area.

Len Grant is a sketcher, writer and photographer based in Manchester. Through his work, Len tells stories – often around social issues or urban renewal – aiming to give a voice to those people and communities who aren’t always heard.

Claire Tymon is the Creative Director of Local, an arts-led, creative placemaking organisation. They’re working with us to take a different approach to developing Rochdale, finding ways to include and co-create with our local community (i.e. you!).