Contractors were supposed to be putting the finishing touches to the scheme last week.
But work on the project, which will see the restoration a formal floral garden to the town centre, is still on-going.
Council bosses have now revealed the project won't be ready until next Tuesday (January 17) at the earliest.
Originally the work was supposed to have been completed by November 23, but a series of delays moving underground electricity cables has led to the deadline continually slipping.
And the Guardian can reveal that the contractor won't face any penalty charges for completing the scheme up to eight weeks late after council bosses agreed the delay was not the contractor's fault.
A spokesperson for Rochdale council said: “There are provisions in the contract for damages to be paid if the work extends beyond the contractual completion date, in order to cover the additional costs incurred by the council.
“No damages have been incurred so far because the contractual completion date has been extended to take account of delays caused by issues outside the contractor’s control.”
Under the agreement the council has with the contractor, Balfour Beatty would have to pay £600 a day in compensation to the borough for finishing the project later than planned.
But the council says it will not demand any compensation after accepting the delays were caused by factors outside contractor's control.
These include the need to move underground utility cables and unexpected ground conditions, both of which only emerged as problems when work began.
When the scheme is completed next week, developers say the town centre will have four times as much greenery as it currently does in an attractive triangular shaped formal garden area.
The existing entertainment space will remain, but will be raised, while the whole area will be re-paved and new lights will be installed.
Work will also begin on phase two of the town centre project in the spring which will see the bottom of Long Street and Wood Street turned back into a one-way street with new pedestrian areas. Tweet
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Is that supposed to look something like it used to do before Rochdale ripped it up? It doesn't look like they have done very much and those rakes that are an embarrassment are still there I see.
Never mind, they might get it right next time?
Over the last 10 years about 4 - 5 million has been wasted on Middleton Town centre money which the town can ill afford to waste, also Middleton is known historically for the Middleton Archers not the moonraker myth
Rochdale MBC Planers who allowed this to continue should hang there heads in shame
Middleton is and will remain a total disaster area whilst managed by RMBC
where are the so called gardens then? 2 million for concrete slabs, what a waste of public money.
Tuesday came and went and they are still there. Another extension to the deadline?
Is it also not time that Tesco corrected all the mistakes made on the work they completed in the town centre?
There was lots of talk reported in the Guardian concerning the dangerous exit and entrance road,why has this all gone quiet? What about all the flags wrongly laid that have been taken up and filled with Tarmac,should they not be made to correct these mistakes ? It looks a mess even after only 12 months especially on the "car park" that is sited where the old Horridges shop used to be. Get tough with Tesco.
I used to be in construction so I had a walk through the gardens yesterday and I was really impressed with the quality of the work by the contractor. It looks like they are taking the time to ensure the quality is right and not feel pressured to rush the last bit.
The contractor was always going to be up against it as the council only let them start in summer which has left them trying to finish the job in winter.
I never saw the original gardens so I can't comment on that but the layout of the planters and walkways has really been thought about. I can't wait for summer to stroll round and relax in the gardens.
I used to be in construction so I had a walk through the gardens yesterday and I was really impressed with the quality of the work. It looks like the contractors is taking the time to ensure the quality is right and not rushing to finish the job even though the are probably under some pressure.
I must add that the contractor has done well considering they started in summer which has left them having to lay flags and try to finish the scheme in winter. In my experience this should have been the other way round.
I can't comment on the old gardens but I like the layout of the new job and can tell that it has really been thought about. I can't wait for spring and summer to stroll through the gardens and sit and relax.
I was under the impression that the scheme was funded through European funding and some thing to do with natural stone in town centers so I think the money was always going to be spent. I think the council have done well to secure the money.
coun neil emmott is talking rubbish when he states the market is thriving go and speak to any of the traders for a true reflection i stood there all day last tuesday 8 till 4 and after paying the rental fee for the stall i ended with a loss of £10 .many other traders are just eeking out a living .