ROCHDALE council has begun a second search for a developer to lead a £200m revamp of the town centre, a year after its first attempt was blocked in the courts.

But council leaders warn it will be at least another 12 months before they select a developer - and nearly three years before construction work begins.

In March 2008, it chose Midlands-based Wilson Bowden to carry out the development but its decision was overturned in a landmark court judgement, following a legal challenge by rival developer Sultan Properties, owners of the town's Wheatsheaf shopping centre.

A court decided the selection process fell foul of European Union rules on spending public money on major contracts.

The council now expects to shortlist three companies to build a new retail heart with leisure facilities, offices and homes.

Local people will be consulted on the designs in the autumn. A final decision is expected to be made by the town centre committee in summer next year. Work is continuing to get the town centre ready for the new retail developments.

Restaurants and bars will front a new riverside walkway and there will be a new transport interchange site on Smith Street. The demolition of the existing council offices and bus station will create space for the proposed retail development.

Roger Ellis, chief executive of Rochdale borough council, said: "Rochdale is already benefiting from a huge amount of public investment in the town centre that is delivering new transport, education, health and council office facilities and we believe this up-front commitment will be appealing to potential private investors. All the groundwork is underway to have a comprehensive development site ready for when the retail market recovers."

Finance has been secured for a £60m municipal riverside development which will provide 300,000 sq ft of office accommodation for 2,600 council, NHS and private sector staff, along with a new town centre library, training and conference facilities by the end of 2011.

Designers are also at work on a £11.5m transport interchange. Metrolink trams will arrive at Rochdale railway station in 2012, and the new interchange will be designed to accommodate a future extension into the town centre.

Locals say Rochdale is in dire need of a facelift. Many say they prefer to shop in Bury. It comes after a survey showed that almost a third of shops are standing empty, making it the third worst hit retail centre in the country.

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