Consultation on expansive Oldham masterplan opens Friday

Oldham Council is launching a public consultation on its proposals for the regeneration of 21 acres across the town centre, and is inviting comments from Friday 15 September.

In June, the local authority revealed a new masterplan which had been prepared for the redevelopment by Leach Rhodes Walker in collaboration with the council, covering five underused plots across the town centre.

Consultation event giving the public an opportunity to comment on the proposals will be held at the Egyptian Room in Parliament Square on Friday 15 September from 10am to 5pm, and on Saturday 16 September from 10am to 3pm.

The proposals are intended to complement the recently agreed Cultural Quarter programme in Oldham, and bring forward up to 600,000 sq ft of new and refurbished employment space, a mixed residential strategy, retail, leisure, hotel, a multi-agency civic hub and car parking.

Oldham Council said it will seek to engage a joint venture partner on a profit share basis, and is open to considering other structures and funding options. The council would be prepared to make land, capital and lease covenant commitments to aid delivery of the overall development.

Following the consultation process, it is anticipated that an OJEU notice would be triggered late autumn 2017 with selection of a preferred partner in late summer 2018.

The development delivery period will be ten to 15 years with an anticipated start on site in spring 2019.

The sites included in the plan are Tommyfield Market, the Civic Centre, Oldham Police Station, the former Oldham Sports Centre and Oldham Magistrates Court, and the current Oldham Coliseum Theatre.

A priority proposal is to deliver a rebuild of the Tommyfield Market on its existing site, next to a new 600-capacity multi-storey car park, plus retail and leisure units, and public realm.

A new Civic Hub is proposed using land including the former Oldham Sports Centre, to consolidate several council agencies into one building, alongside commercial office space.

The current Civic Centre, Magistrates Court and Oldham Police Station sites could be the location for a refurbished Queen Elizabeth Hall with a new hotel, plus offices and homes.

Additional homes could go at the current Rock Street car park site and the surrounding area.

The opportunity to comment will also be available online from Monday 18 September onwards at www.oldham.gov.uk/masterplan

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