Rossendale Borough Council is preparing for an exciting new events space in Waterfoot Town Centre, designed to bring the community together and showcase local creativity.
The new town square will act as a pilot scheme for activity and engagement, giving people the opportunity to trial ideas, monitor usage, and help inform potential permanent features for the future.
Plans include an expansion to the small park with a dedicated community space, featuring a platform and long table, alongside locally commissioned artworks selected last year, including murals, fence panels, and mosaics. Together, these elements will create a vibrant, community-focused environment.
Works are scheduled to start at the end of October, with further improvements planned for the refurbishment of a shop unit in Trickett’s Arcade later this year.
These initiatives form part of the Council’s longer-term Waterfoot Masterplan, with future activities developed in partnership with local arts organisation Horse and Bamboo and the Waterfoot Arts Group. Collectively, the projects aim to strengthen Waterfoot’s identity and encourage more people to visit, explore, and spend time in the area.
Lead Member for Economic Development, Councillor Nick Harris, said: "We are thrilled to bring this exciting new space to Waterfoot. It’s a wonderful opportunity to celebrate local creativity, provide a hub for community activity, and trial new ideas that could shape the future of our town centre. So many residents told us in 2024 that they thought the bus turning circle is a wasted area and that they wanted a civic space to act as the heart of Waterfoot. This is exactly what we are trialling with an aim to explore this as a more permanent feature as and when external funding becomes available.
We will also be procuring a contractor to fit out a shop unit in Tricketts Arcade over the next 2 months to further testbed activity and animation in the centre of Waterfoot
Ahead of construction, preparatory works are taking place to ensure the area is ready for installation. This includes carefully trimming overgrown branches that have been blocking street lighting and safely removing diseased trees.
These preparatory works will take place from Monday 6th October till Thursday 9th October, during which the car park and play area in Waterfoot Town Centre will be temporarily closed. Clear signage will be displayed to keep residents informed and ensure the works are completed safely and without disruption.
For more information on the Waterfoot Masterplan, visit the Council’s website.