Delays to the proposed redevelopment of Rochdale's town centre will be kept to a minimum, it has been stated.

According to Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council chief executive Roger Ellis, the decision to rerun its developer selection process will mean a delay of roughly four weeks to the retail development.

Additionally, work can only commence on the £250 million main redevelopment once the riverside civic centre and the new interchange have been completed in 2011.

"This has been a difficult decision for the council to make, but it has been taken with the best interests of the town centre's regeneration and the people of Rochdale in mind," Mr Ellis commented.

He added that "real momentum" for the town centre plans remained, highlighting the recent Metrolink news of funding approval for a new bus station.

Alan Black, director at DTZ, commercial advisers to the council, told the Rochdale Development Agency that the news was "extremely unfortunate" and "somewhat ironic".