Door opens for Prince’s Gate plans

AERIAL view . . . Marks and Spencer, the Old Bank, the new Park and Ride and the new supermarket

PLANS for the development of Oldham Mumps will go ahead after councillors approved the proposals.

On Wednesday night at a planning committee meeting councillors agreed the 'game changing' Prince's Gate development would go ahead.

The scheme will incorporate retail, financial services, restaurants and drinking establishments as well as converting the historic Grade II listed former Natwest bank building into flexible commercial space.

The plans for Prince's Gate also feature hotels, housing, parking, associated landscaping and highway improvement works.

The project aims to reach completion by 2018 and is expected to create more than 700 jobs and generate up to £19million a year for the local economy.

Councillor Rod Blythe had concerns as to whether people would make the decision to get off the train and visit the new shopping centre over choices of Manchester and the Trafford Centre and also that it may endanger the traffic that the town centre may see.

He said: "People are not going to get off the tram to do shopping and walk up to the town centre.

"My fear is all the town centre is struggling.

"We have a major store in Tescos on Huddersfield Road struggling, is this going to be the final nail in the coffin?"

Other councillors felt that rather than be detrimental to the town centre, the scheme would make Oldham prosper.

Councillor Javid Iqbal said: "It's an excellent scheme and it will add value to the town centre.

"This will add value to the cinema and the surrounding area.

"It will put Oldham on the map, it is a step in the right direction."