Council submits two £20m Levelling Up bids

Oldham Council has applied for £40 million of new Levelling Up funding from Government for major projects across the borough. 

Officials have submitted two bids – of £20m each – to boost opportunities for residents and businesses through better connectivity, sustainability, culture and regeneration projects. 

Oldham Council Leader Amanda Chadderton said: “Oldham has so much potential and as a council we will do everything in our power to help our borough thrive. 

“Towns like ours have been hit hardest by austerity, the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis.

"Despite this we remain one of the most entrepreneurial towns in the UK. 

“We have a clear direction for Oldham and have identified exciting projects as part of our Levelling Up bids which will help us to build a better borough and future. 

“This is a real chance for Government to prove they are serious about spreading opportunity more equally across the UK and we look forward to hearing the results of our application.” 

Levelling Up bids are submitted by parliamentary constituency.

In Oldham East and Saddleworth, the council has applied for funding to support three key projects to help build back greener and back the Green New Deal commitment to being carbon neutral as a borough by 2030:  

The Green Shoots Centre will be a new business centre to support environment technology start-ups based at Rhodes Bank. 

Northern Roots Learning Centre is a proposed education facility based at the landmark Northern Roots project, which is creating the UK’s largest urban farm on land near Alexandra Park.

The learning centre will provide training linked to green and sustainable skills, supporting the Green Shoots Centre. 

It would also be used as an educational centre to help strengthen environmental skills through vocational courses.   

The Oldham Greenway will link the Green Shoots Centre, new town centre Jubilee Park and Northern Roots together, so people can easily travel by bike or on foot to the new venues and across the town centre. 

The council's bid for the Oldham West and Royton constituency focuses on developing a creative improvement district which includes: 

Refurbishment of the Lyceum Theatre and Masonic Hall to create a flexible workspace for creative industries. 

Additional funding support for re-opening the Old Library, including the development of enhanced gallery space and workshops for use by creative industries.

This project will also include a renovated garden area between the Old Library, Gallery Oldham and the forthcoming new theatre - the heart of our Cultural Quarter.

Flexible events space at the redeveloped Spindles Town Square for use by creative industries. 

Oldham’s third constituency, Ashton-under-Lyne, is mostly within Tameside and therefore Tameside Council would lead on any bids relating to this area. 

The Levelling Up bids follow Oldham Council's successful applications to secure Towns Fund and Future High Streets Fund grants of £24.4m and £10.75m respectively.

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