Your vote counts: You can help to protect some of Oldham's most distinctive buildings

Residents are able to nominate their favourite historic buildings

Oldhamers are being asked to nominate their favourite places to join the Local Heritage List for Greater Manchester

Throughout September and October, residents are able to nominate their favourite historic buildings, landscapes, historic sites, public art, monuments and even street furniture to join the Local Heritage List for Greater Manchester.

The process of nationally and locally listing England’s most special and distinctive historic buildings and structures began after the Second World War.

This has ensured that some of them have been protected, but the process was never completed and many buildings that are important to local communities have gone unrecognised and are not protected from development. Where buildings are included on Local Lists, they are better protected from inappropriate development under the planning system.

Only around 50% of local authorities in England today have a Local List and where they do, they are often out of date and incomplete. Addressing this problem has been the driving force behind funding the current Local Heritage Listing Campaign across the country.

The Greater Manchester Local Heritage List Project is being run by the Greater Manchester Archaeological Advisory Service (GMAAS), based  at the University of Salford, together with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and local councils. The aim of the project is to work with local communities to identify and help protect the things that make a place special and give an area its special character.

Councillor Shaid Mushtaq, Oldham Council’s Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, said: "Our borough is characterised by rich and diverse heritage that plays an important part in our identity.
 
“Significant historic buildings, industrial landscapes and South Pennines, make up and provide a variety of designated and non-designated heritage assets, right on our very doorstep.
 
"A Local List will help preserve the unique character Oldham has to offer and is a great way for the community to get involved; learn more about the history and significance of the borough; and nominate local heritage assets, to allow the recognition and protection they deserve."
 
The project is open to everyone, and nominations can be made on the Greater Manchester Local Heritage List Project website.

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