The brand new outdoor venue due to host live music, festivals and ‘dazzling displays’ in Oldham

A CGI of the new gardens outside the Old Library, taken from Oldham planning documents

Oldham is about to get a brand new outdoor venue for live music, festivals and the ‘dazzling display’ of its yearly Illuminate Light Night event – which will light up the town centre with family-friendly performances this weekend.

Plans to turn the area outside Oldham’s Old Library into an al fresco events space were approved by Oldham’s planning department this week. 

A planning application submitted on behalf of the council shows a new public garden between Ashworth and Community Street. 

The space is purpose-designed so a temporary stage can be rolled out onto the North side whenever needed. 

Once completed, the new space will host Oldham’s most popular town centre events, including Oldham Pride, Illuminate Light Night and Festival Oldham, a series of outdoor Arts performances.

Khushi Festival, which showcases East Asian arts, and Oldham Live, a music event, will also become regular features at the new pop-up venue. 

The gardens are the final part of an extensive refurb project to bring the Old Library on Southgate Street back into working use.

The multi-million pound project is transforming the almost 150-year-old building into a ‘mixed use’ events space, which will include a new townhall chamber, offices for the council’s chief executives, a gallery and a new home for the Oldham Theatre Workshop. 

Renovation works have sought to make the Victorian building more accessible.

The public garden will become the new main entrance point to the library, fitted with a wheel-chair friendly ramp. 

When not in use as an event space, the gardens will be open to the public and feature seating areas.

Around 12 existing trees will be removed from the site and replaced by 47 new ones. 

Now the plans are approved, the council will have three years to start the works.

Do you have a story for us? Want to tell us about something going on in and around Oldham? Let us know by emailing news@oldham-chronicle.co.uk , calling our Oldham-based newsroom on 0161 633 2121 , tweeting us @oldhamchronicle or messaging us through our Facebook page. All contact will be treated in confidence.