Muse wins £550m Oldham transformation
Hot on the heels of securing a £250m contract to deliver the next phase of Stockport’s regeneration, the developer has been picked by another Greater Manchester authority to bring forward 2,000 homes across a clutch of town centre sites.
Oldham Council has appointed Muse on a 15-year contract – which could be extended by another 10 years – to redevelop plots totalling 24 acres in the town centre.
The total value of Muse’s Oldham contract could be up to £550m, according to tender documents published by the Oldham Council last year.
Oldham Council said Muse “demonstrated a thorough understanding of the ambition and scale of Oldham’s regeneration plans”, adding that the company’s track record with similar projects and “a highly experienced team headed by born and bred Oldhamer Phil Mayall”, were among the reasons for the firm’s selection.
“I am truly excited that we’ve secured a partner from Oldham, who knows Oldham so well, and is just as passionate as me to make our borough a better place for all of us who call Oldham home,” said Cllr Arooj Shah, Leader of Oldham Council.
“We and Muse will be creating a new town centre for not just the people who live here now, but for generations to come,” she added.
“These homes will create new communities right in the heart of Oldham, which is a brilliant opportunity not just for the Oldhamers who will get the chance to live there, but also for people across the borough who can enjoy greener, more attractive, and more enjoyable places to shop, eat, drink and spend their leisure time.”
Aside from Stockport, where Muse – as part of the English Cities Fund – was recently selected by the council to deliver the 1,000-home Stockport 8 project, the developer is perhaps best known in the North West for its work in Salford.
There, ECF has led on the delivery of Salford Central and recently lodged a planning application for the first phase of the £2.5bn Salford Crescent masterplan.
“As a business, we’re all about placemaking,” said Phil Mayall, managing director of the North West at Muse.
“We create kinder places in our towns and cities that focus on quality, community and sustainability. It’s regeneration with people at its heart that will celebrate the proud town of Oldham, its rich heritage, along with its aspirations for the future.”
A master agreement has been negotiated during the procurement process, which includes establishing a joint project board that meets quarterly, and the partnership between the council and Muse will now formulate more detailed strategies and business plans for sites in the town centre, expected to take around six months.
Oldham Council was advised on the procurement process by CBRE and Brabners.
A new park features as part of Oldham’s town centre vision. Credit: Our Studio
The official launch of Oldham Council’s hunt for a development partner began last summer after the authority had opted to self-deliver part of the town centre regeneration – the redevelopment of Spindles.
That Spindles scheme, designed by Aew Architects, proposes turning the 450,000 sq ft town centre shopping centre into a mixed-use space featuring a new 50,000 sq ft Tommyfield Market and offices.
Aside from Spindles, Oldham identified several opportunity sites across the town centre that it wants to see redeveloped by Muse.
The first tranche of sites includes:
- Oldham Civic Centre on Rochdale Road, which has capacity for up to 600 apartments
- The former leisure centre site on Union Street, which has capacity for up to 250 apartments
- The former Magistrates Court & Manchester Chambers, which has capacity for up to 225 apartments.
These sites have a combined development value of between £150m and £250m.
Additional sites that could also be redeveloped include:
- Land on Bradshaw Street – up to 150 apartments
- Metropolitan Place Site – up to 75 apartments
- Land on Mumps and Wallshaw Street – up to 100 apartments
- Land on Southgate Street and Waterloo Street – up to 250 apartments
- The former Tommyfield Market – up to 350 apartments.
These sites have a combined development value of £150m to £200m.
As well as residential, which Muse will deliver, the council’s plans for a rejuvenated town centre include a new park and theatre, and the transformation of the Old Town Hall’s Egyptian Room into a modern food hall.
Excellent news. The renders look absolutely fantastic. Oldham leading the way on how similar-sized towns should be using residential-led regeneration to rejuvinate their town centres.
By Anonymous
Wow, great looking scheme. Love the park. Why can’t Manchester be this ambitious with green spaces in the wider city centre area.
By Anonymous
I am not too sure about all these apartments.We have not had great success in Oldham with town centre apartments e.g. The Victory apartments. This is Oldham town centre not Manchester. We don’t have lots of young professionals wanting to live in Oldham town centre. I only wish we did.
By Anonymous
This tameside need to take a note from oldham council on how to regenerate an area
By Dg
As an Oldhamer,this looks good but Oldham Council is hopeless at delivering, as the Mumps regeneration flop lays testament to. Marks and Spencers didn’t go to Oldham, but went to equally deprived Rochdale, because Oldham council, can’t organise a riot. This looks good but pictures always do on here.
By Elephant
There is no mention of shops because at the moment shops are minimal people are not going to travel to Oldham just for a coffee
By There is no mention of shops because at the moment shops are minimal
It won’t do any further harm building a housing estate over the town centre. Everyone goes to Manchester now anyways.
By Anonymous
Will this include provision for school places doctors etc or will it be like Salford quays with a ton of development and no supporting infrastructure
By Anonymous
This looks good but so many failed promises here in Oldham they can do all the talk but unfortunately they are still learning to walk
The infrastructure in Oldham is screaming poverty and deprivation
As a company you may be all good but 2000 homes without any plans for schools and doctor surgery’s is abysmal
Do you really think that Oldham needs all those flats as housing ? I don’t think so they breed trouble look at Eldon St Estate !!!! Town center linear park ? Well there won’t be a town centre as Spindles will be filled with empty office space but don’t worry we have a decent tram service out of town !!!!
By Oldham Voter
Great news for Oldham plans look brilliant. Totally agree with the comment about Tameside embarrassing How’s its being run with towns like droylsden in a prime location spot being allowed to fall to pieces it’s shameful
By Anonymous
This Tameside bashing seems odd. The retail development entering Ashton on the tram, is far superior to anything Oldham’s got. Droylsden is a missed opportunity, at present, with very easy access to Manchester, investment should be pouring in.
By Elephant
Any news on when they will be starting construction at their Bolton site in Church Wharf?
By Anonymous
Look at those beautiful flats with balconies! Oldham is the place to be in GM
By Balcony Warrior
@elephant I think that’s why so many people are aggrieved. The council puts every single penny into ashton neglecting all the other towns. Your absolutely right about droylsden fantastic location and could be an incredible town centre with a bit of vision but alas its never considered for investment by the council at its epic centre is an ex council building left to rot which is an eyesore and embarrassment for the town
By Anonymous
There are so many “get out ” statements and qualifications in the council’s announcement of this scheme that it is perfectly clear that they do not really expect it all to happen anyway! Who on earth with a sane mind would want to live in Oldham centre??! This is not Manchester or even Rochdale. Anyone who thinks this is a viable scheme and will be popular does not know Oldham town centre, they need to visit it and stay a while in the centre and get to know it’s many “charms”!
By P. W.