Rochdale Council reveals plans for a university campus

Image caption, Rochdale's Victorian Gothic town hall

Rochdale council has announced plans to open a university campus in the town.

The scheme is part of a multi-million pound regeneration project designed to encourage more people to live in the town centre.

The local authority said it was in talks with the University of Salford about the proposals.

Council Leader Allen Brett said the project aimed to have more people "living, shopping, and educating their children in the borough".

He said research suggests many students end up living and working near to where they went to university.

The first stage of regeneration, which cost 拢250m, saw the Metrolink tram network expand into Rochdale.

A new bus station and a retail complex have also been built in the town.

Image caption, Manchester is less than an hour away from Rochdale on the tram