We will not stand still, vows leader

Oldham Town Centre Masterplan. Shows how the town could change under the plans..

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A TRANSFORMATIONAL masterplan for Oldham town centre, which would see phenomenal changes, including the construction of a new civic hub, market hall and several residential sites, is set to go to public consultation before being marketed to potential development partners.

Oldham Council has been developing an ambitious masterplan which looks ahead to 2035, with key schemes across five town centre sites identified for development over the next 20 years.

The masterplan identifies a large number of publicly-owned sites described as "under-used or no longer fit for purpose", including Tommyfield Market, the civic centre, Oldham Police Station, the former Oldham Sports Centre and Oldham Magistrates' Court sites, and the current Oldham Coliseum Theatre.

Aspirations

The plans seek to remodel the town centre and match the local authority's aspirations for it to be a vibrant place where residents want to live and spend leisure time.

Included in the proposals, which cover 21 acres of the town centre, are plans to close the current civic centre and create a new civic hub using land at the former Oldham Sports Centre on Lord Street.

The hub would host a multi-agency public sector centre and would be designed to provide more effective, cost sharing accommodation and would sit alongside new commercial office space.

The current civic centre, former Oldham Magistrates' Court and Oldham Police Station sites could then be used as the location for new homes in the town centre, which would offer spectacular views across Oldham and could attract commuters and those looking for the a taste of the town centre living outside Manchester.

The iconic civic centre tower block would remain as offices to offer organisations some of the tallest office space in Greater Manchester, while the Queen Elizabeth Hall would be refurbished and a new hotel added on the current New Radcliffe Street car park.

Market traders will also be encouraged by a plan to deliver a new Tommyfield Market on the existing site as a priority of the plan with a new 600-capacity multi-storey car park to attract additional footfall, alongside complementary new retail or leisure units and quality public spaces.

An additional potential residential site has also been identified at the current Rock Street car park and the surrounding area.

The benefits would be the provision of new homes, 55,000 sq metres of new and refurbished employment space and economic activity worth an additional £50m per annum to Oldham's economy.

If every masterplan element is delivered it could be worth an estimated 560 full-time jobs during construction, plus up to 700 new operational jobs in Oldham.

Council leader Jean Stretton said: "This is the biggest forward planning exercise we've ever had for Oldham town centre. It's exciting and it's about the kind of place we want it to be in the future.

"Many positive regeneration schemes are already improving our town centre ­- like the Old Town Hall, the Cultural Quarter with a new Coliseum Theatre and the Independent Quarter ­- but we cannot make the mistake of standing still.

"This is about agreeing the type of place we want Oldham to be and having a clear plan to achieve it.

"The plan will be shaped and refined further as residents, partners, business and traders have their say in extensive consultation over the coming year.

"The plan looks to improve connections in and between different sites so that footfall and movement works better. It also strives to increase town centre resident, visitor and user numbers to make it a place that thrives around the clock.

"We have the opportunity to do what other local authorities have done and look to share assets and cut costs with public sector partners to benefit everyone.

"We also have a fantastic opportunity to attract private sector development partners into a joint venture to deliver this scheme, or specific elements of it, and we're confident this will be attractive to them.

"It is one of the biggest and most ambitious town centre schemes in Greater Manchester.

"Due to the amount of land that is publicly owned, there are relatively few issues around site assembly, and these plans can deliver a return on our investment back to the public purse.

Views

"When consultation gets under way I would urge everyone to do their bit, get involved and give us their views and ideas.

"We all have a stake in Oldham town centre's future and this is a fantastic opportunity to transform its prospects over the next two decades."

The masterplan aims to be a first step to creating a town centre that "works better and is aspirational for everyone", including residents, families, public sector partners and businesses/traders of all sizes.

Existing movement and footfall in Oldham town centre has been analysed and anticipated future pressures on housing, school places, public services and infrastructure are also factored in.

It has been drawn up in line with existing major project commitments, the Local Plan refresh, and the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework.

Subject to Cabinet approval on July 10, work would begin to present these opportunities to market and share risks/costs with the private sector.

Oldham Council would then take the opportunity to market by the end of 2017 with a view to appointing a preferred delivery partner or partners by summer, 2018.

It will be the subject to a wide-ranging public consultation over the next 12 months, with a range of drop-in events in Oldham town centre and beyond.