Vistry chooses First Choice to deliver 147 Oldham homes
The housebuilder and housing association hope to provide a range of mixed-tenure homes on the former Oldham Mumps railway station, subject to planning permission.
All of the 147 homes to be built at the 9.7-acre Southlink site would be affordable and managed by local provider First Choice Homes Oldham.
Proposals, lodged with Oldham Council by planner AshtonHale show three blocks would be built rising to a maximum of four storeys, hosting 28 one- and 69 two-bedroom flats.
The remaining 29 three- and 21 four-bedroom houses are to be made available in terraced, semi-detached, or detached form.
First Choice Homes will set rent levels for rent-to-buy and affordable rented units at up to 80% of market rent values. In total, 98 homes will be available for social rent, 40 for shared ownership, and the remaining nine for rent-to-buy.
Shared ownership properties will be disposed of to buyers who meet Homes England’s eligibility criteria, who will be able to purchase between 10% and 75% of the property’s full market value.
The vacant site, known as Southlink, hosted a railway station until its closure in 2009. Vistry’s application also seeks consent for the demolition of these remaining structures and the remediation of the plot.
Access to the scheme would be taken from Oldham Way, with a main road splitting the site in half and carrying on to Southlink Business Park beyond. Parking is expected to be provided for up to 113 vehicles.
Southlink, now vacant, used to host a railway station. Credit: via planning documents
Matthew Parkes, managing director at Vistry Manchester and Cheshire East, said: “We’re thrilled to have been selected for this important project, which aligns perfectly with our mission to deliver high-quality, affordable homes that meet the needs of local communities.
“This development not only revitalises a long-vacant brownfield site, but also provides sustainable, energy-efficient homes in the heart of Oldham.”
Mark Gifford, chief executive of First Choice Homes Oldham, added: “FCHO is delighted to be partnering with Vistry Group to deliver Oldham’s next flagship housing scheme and our biggest development.
“Southlink also supports the Council’s ambitions for a fairer, greener, and more prosperous borough.”
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The scheme will include up to 3.75 acres of public open space, and each home will be fitted with energy-saving measures such as sufficient insulation and employ air source heat-pumps to keep energy bills to a minimum.
First Choice Homes inked a deal to take over 45 affordable homes at Kellen Homes’ Mill Vale site in May, and according to the firm, some 10% of Oldham’s population lives under its properties.
AshtonHale led Vistry Group through the application process to Oldham Council. Others on the project team include Urban Green, L&F Solutions, i-Transport, Redmore Environmental, E3P, Groundtech Consulting, Survey Solutions, Shape Engineering, Collington Winter, Lanpro, and RPS.
To view the full application for the scheme, use the reference number FUL/355201/25 on Oldham Council’s planning portal.
