Plans approved for eighty-eight new affordable homes in Oldham

The development is due for completion in Autumn 2023

Plans to build eighty-eight new affordable homes on the site of two iconic tower blocks in Coldhurst have been approved by Oldham Council.

The development is part of First Choice Homes' £12m investment as part of the West Vale project that will transform the area where Crossbank House and Summervale House currently stand.

The two towerblocks will be demolished and eighty-eight new homes will be built to help meet local housing needs.

Twenty six houses are planned – a mix of two, three and four-bedroom family homes – along with 62 apartments, which will have one or two bedrooms.

Plans also include landscaping across the site, with houses benefitting from well-sized gardens; driveway car parking for all the houses and for 15% of the apartments; and there will be cycle parking for all homes at the development.

A recreational space located at Broome Street with an equipped play area is also planned.

The development is set to benefit from £1.14 million from Greater Manchester’s Brownfield Housing Fund allocation, designed to help deliver new homes on formerly developed sites across the city region.

Joel Owen, Director of Development at First Choice Homes, said: "Getting approval for the new build homes at West Vale is welcome news and we’re committed to creating a vibrant neighbourhood and improving the surrounding area so that people, families and businesses there can thrive. Thank you to everyone who shared feedback on our plans and helped to shape them.

“We're working hard to create more homes for people in our borough, where there's a shortage of affordable and social housing. We’ve got plans to deliver 850 high quality, affordable new homes in Oldham and surrounding areas by 2026 to help bridge the gap. The new homes at West Vale will go towards us reaching that target and creating high quality, modern homes for people who need them."

Demolition of Crossbank House and Summervale House was approved by Oldham Council in September 2020. Work to take them down will begin at the end of July this year and last until the end of November. Construction of the new build homes is due to take place in Spring 2022 with homes due for completion in Autumn 2023.

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