A NEW plan has been drawn up to regenerate Droylsden after a damning assessment of its current state by those who live there.
Options for the town include reinstating a branch canal route into its centre, helping its football club get better facilities and linking things up much better and generating more civic pride.
Also on the table is what to do with the Concord Suite, which some feel is ‘holding back the development of the town,’ including demolishing it completely.
A survey of more than 1,000 people spelled out the challenges in front of those responsible for drawing up the final masterplan, which will be done after a six-week consultation period following the local elections.

Just nine per cent of agreed that Droylsden had a good selection of shops while more than half lacked a sense of civic pride and did not feel it is safe.
Confidence is low among businesses and responses including high voids in the centre making it feels like a declining one and the ‘shop window’ of the centre doing little to entice people to explore.
90 per cent of young people said they wanted to leave, with one complaint being, ‘We have nowhere to go.’
The draft plan, presented to Tameside Council’s executive cabinet at its meeting on Wednesday, April 24, detailed many ‘what if’ options.

Regarding the Concord Suite, options include mothballing the former office floorspace and make more of the building facade and massing to become a positive feature of the town.
Others are part demolition of the existing precinct structure to create a new, flexible development opportunity site, separate from the tower, which can be marketed to operators and interested parties.
Another was similar, only with the Concord Suite Tower brought back into active use while total demolition of the central block, including the tower, to create a new large development opportunity at the heart of the town centre was also mentioned.

The executive cabinet was told the ‘Droylsden Town Centre Masterplan will support delivery of the Tameside Corporate Plan, Tameside Inclusive Growth Strategy and both regional and national priorities helping to secure much needed investment in the Town Centre.’
The document added: “Droylsden’s proximity to the M60 motorway, Manchester city centre and key proposals around the Etihad Stadium, including the Co Op Live Arena, provide an opportunity to capitalise on this growth.”
One other landmark highlighted was Droylsden FC’s Butchers Arms ground, but the authors believe: “This is a strong community facility located north of the shopping centre, in the heart of the town centre.

“However, the current condition of the stands/ facilities is poor and in need of an investment/upgrade.”
Among other ideas for Droylsden are bringing activity and life to Droylsden’s Marina and bringing back to use lost remnants of the Hollinwood Branch Canal – creating a pedestrian and cycle route under Manchester Road and into the centre.
It is felt new safe and legible streets can create ‘new desire lines’ to the heart of the town while reducing the negative impact of highway infrastructure can make it better.
In fact, experts say: “With the introduction of transport infrastructure, the road has become a barrier to north-south pedestrian movement.
“The congestion of moving parts and of street furniture, signs and barriers at this crossroad makes legibility of the town centre difficult.
“It does not feel as though one has ‘arrived’ in a town centre but rather one is passing through.
“There is no clear or pleasant journey for a pedestrian to nip to the shops, thus leading to higher car use for shorter journeys.”
However, it is considered a rethink and new masterplan can make the most of what Droylsden has.
Include in its aims are: “Maximise Droylsden’s strategic positioning within Tameside and Greater Manchester, within easy reach of the Pennines countryside, to capture future growth through an appropriate housing and visitor economy offer.
“The growth in population and employment within Droylsden presents an opportunity to capture footfall and spend within the town centre through an attractive and diverse offer spanning retail, arts and culture, food and drink.
“Addressing issues which undermine quality of life such as anti-social behaviour will drive pride in place, retain and attract people to live and invest in the town.
“Deprivation associated with crime and living environment features in Droylsden and opportunities to mitigate these issues should be sought in the masterplan.”
This is much needed the current town centre is dreadful. I would urge locals to speak up in the consultations and voice what they want from their town centre. It has bags of potential droylsden to be a great asset for East manchester
The absolute clamour to get the old library demolished, for what just another derelict space.
Need to full revamp the centre new shops
May be a market once Weekley still have elderly people that want so shop locally. Keep drolysden a place people want to live am shop in the centre .Keep building houses no shops ?
Touch your toes
Sale town centre is an excellent example of how a small town centre can be refurbished and put to good use with nice public spaces.
Just hope whatever happens action is taken soon. Years of having a substandard town centre is unacceptable. There has been literally no investment in droylsden in decades!!!!
Good to see that Droylsden residents being listened too. It is beyond me why Tameside mbc have not caught on with the opportunity of the M60 Etihad and Coop live close by . Add to that Daisy nook the marina and Ashton Moss. Demolish concorde create an open aea and an environment for business. Most importantly get on with it 15 years is a lifetime get on with it
After a quick google, I discovered the current owner of the precinct is New Era Property limited – a small company – in Leicester. The same owner also has a company called Manor Homes and another joinery business registered at the same address. With that in mind, a betting man would put a few squid on the precinct being developed into homes.
Furthermore, the local council has a backlog of people on the social housing waiting list and the newly elected government(labour) have pledged to build 1.5 million new homes over the next 5 years – obviously not all in Tameside.
From what I can see, these so called Masterplan projects(the same innovate name from the same place) all involve building homes in town centres.
I may be on a dower or proper pessimistic – shoddy English – but the future seems a bit pants. On the bright side, at least you don’t have to put up with a multi-purpose, outdoor, theatre space with world renowned performers or some funky new lockdown.
Two simple policy changes by the government could bring the glory days back to all town centres, not just Droylsden. It wouldn’t cost a fortune. I am baffled why the so called cream of the crop can’t see the solutions to easy problems.
Roughly how much will it cost to rent a premises in the proposed new development?
How will that compare to the current price of renting the units that house the Silly Country Bar or the Chinese chippy?
How many times a week can someone on benefits or low income afford to dine out or go for a coffee in expensive establishments?
Do people of different age groups have different interests? If so, what are they?
With investment, can the football club be a hub for the local community? Should it be renamed?
With support can you get some of the unemployed in Droylsden to open up shops in the new development?
Can you be more specific about the anti social behaviour? Whenever I’m in Silly Town I feel safe – certainly safer than when in Ashton or Piccadilly Gardens.
If this post, and all its content, took me about 10 mins, why is a team of professional people taking so long to sort Droylsden out?
All you have done is ask a load of questions with zero answers how is this ‘sorting it out’ and why the hell would you want to rename the football club???
I’ve spoken to some shop owners in Denton, and they inform me rents have gone up.
So, in a hypothetical situation where shop rent becomes unaffordable, what do you do? You could open a hair salon, nail bar or even a butty shop from your own home, for example. If you don’t have one big enough, then wouldn’t it make financial sense to buy a decent size home to run a business from rather than pay two rents? You could turn your downstairs and garden into a café. Lots of people already work from home, so why not extend the model?
Lots of pubs have shut in Tameside in recent years; if the trend continues, then invite your friends’ round for a house party and get some tins. Evolve to become the bookie.
Nothing to get too excited about. The town centre/square will be flattened and new flats/apartments/townhouses will be built there (see Droylsden marina area)
The centre will look a lot better than it does currently, and I’m sure they will also revamp the areas surrounding the new homes. There could also be space for shops and food & drink places amongst new these housing developments – so it should also be an improvement for existing residents
This is what I am expecting