Oldham gets go-ahead for town centre retail
A joint venture between Oldham Council and Brookhouse Group is set to bring forward the 90,000 sq ft retail-led redevelopment of the former Sainsbury’s site on Bloom Street in the town, after securing planning consent.
The derelict site has not been occupied since Sainsbury’s vacated its store in 2004.
As well as regenerating the site to provide town centre retail facilities, the proposal includes a 12-storey car park. The pedestrian links between the site and surrounding town centre will be enhanced as part of a package of landscaping works proposed under the application.
Tom Whitehead, group town planning manager at Brookhouse, said: “The plans are part of Oldham Property’s continuing investment in the borough. The joint venture partners have a successful track record of delivering commercial development schemes that regenerate brownfield sites to support the local economy. The plans at Bloom Street will provide a vital contribution to enhancing the retail offer of the town centre as well as creating over 250 new jobs and delivering car park facilities that will support a wide range of existing town centre operations.”
Oldham Property was advised on planning by Savills, architecture by the Harris Partnership and WSP on highway matters.
Matthew Sobic, director in the commercial planning team at Savills, said: “Oldham Property’s exciting plans will deliver the much needed regeneration of a long-term vacant site. The proposal for the redevelopment of Bloom Street will continue to support the enhancement of Oldham town centre as a vital commercial centre.”
More low paid retail jobs for Oldham. Is there a more inept council anywhere in the UK. My hometown is bottom of the pile for everything.
By Elephant
So after Andy Burnham’s comments about more housing in the town centres where there are the best transport links, Oldham council gives us more retail and car parks?
Stupidity at its best.
By Aaron
Artistic licence may have been used on the CGI methinks- is that really a 12 storey car park in there? Either way, the site is crying out for development. For what it’s worth, I can see why an apartment development would have struggled so the proposed development mix shouldn’t be a surprise.
By Another NW Planner
Morrisons and West One has done practically nothing for Eccles – big box retail-led regeneration of this ilk can do more harm than good for a town centre. Yes it’s better than it being out of town but the mode of development is fundamentally car dependent and hostile to the pedestrian. There will be few linked trips to suppprt the town centre economy.
Unless the design is very carefully considered this could be a case of one-step-forward, two-steps-back for Oldham.
By A planner
I’m not sure the Council’s award winning old town hall scheme shows an “inept” Council ‘Elephant’ and their proposed town centre masterplan shows a Council properly engaged with improving their town centre offer (including sunstantial amounts of housing ‘Aaron’). ‘Another NW planner’ is right about the site, particularly when you consider that this site already has lawful retail and car parking use.
Overall, give Oldham a break. They’re trying hard with their town centre.
By Depressed Latic
Unlike Bury,Oldham Council has allowed the decimation of the once great market
By Elephant