Delivering Growth in Oldham

Oldham, a town with a rich industrial history, is embracing a bright future through a series of ambitious regeneration projects. Focused on building a place for today and tomorrow’s living, work and leisure. From the restoration of the historic Coliseum Theatre, secured with £10m in funding, to the revitalisation of Spindles Town Square Shopping Centre, the town is undergoing a huge transformation in 2025.

The town’s redevelopment efforts are creating new homes, jobs, and green spaces, alongside cultural facilities. New job opportunities are being created with major industrial projects like Atom Valley, Broadway Green and Hollinwood Junction, while the delivery of new homes, including affordable housing, is set to further strengthen the community. The borough’s plans involve 2000 new urban homes in partnership with Muse, bringing placemaking into the centre of town.

Oldham is positioning itself as a thriving hub for both residents and businesses. Here are just some of the plans already underway:

Town Centre Regeneration

Oldham is undergoing an exciting transformation, with millions of pounds in investment driving the development of a new business and residential community focused on people. This revitalisation will create up to 2,000 new homes, 1,000 jobs, and 100 apprenticeships, making Oldham a better place to live, work, and raise a family.

At the heart of the redevelopment is a 15-year partnership with award-winning place maker Muse, which will deliver new homes, public spaces, green areas, and a town centre park across 24 acres of brownfield sites, including the Oldham Civic Centre and former leisure centre.

The project will also bring cultural and retail enhancements, including the newly opened Egyptian Room food hall, the revamped Spindles shopping centre and the restoration of the Old Library.

Spindles Town Square Shopping Centre

The redevelopment of Spindles Town Square Shopping Centre is a cornerstone of Oldham’s Building a Better Oldham initiative, aimed at reviving the town centre. In October 2020, Oldham Council purchased the site, taking control of this vital asset to safeguard its future and support regeneration.

The transformation is seeing Spindles evolve from a traditional retail hub into a vibrant, multi-purpose space that blends shopping, business, and community activity. Plans are underway to improve the retail options and enhance the leisure and entertainment facilities. The new co-working space, The Hive and Oldham Council offices are now open, and the new market and dedicated events space is set to open later this year.

Town Centre Park

Redeveloping Spindles Town Square Shopping Centre and relocating Tommyfield Market will enable the Council to transform previously developed land in the town centre into much needed green space. Brownfield sites will be revitalised to create new homes and a 5.7-acre park, providing residents with a place to relax and enjoy nature.

The plans for the new Town Centre Park include a woodland glade, a heather terrace, new lawns, and the planting of 85 new trees. Pathways will be illuminated for safety, and new cycle lanes will connect to existing networks, enhancing accessibility and encouraging active travel.

Oldham Coliseum

A major milestone for Oldham this year is the Council’s commitment of £10m to save the Coliseum Theatre. While the Council initially considered building a new theatre, concerns over losing the Coliseum's historic charm and its suitability for key productions like the annual Christmas pantomime led to the decision to restore the Fairbottom Street location instead.

Renovation work is now underway, including structural updates, asbestos removal, and improvements to backstage accessibility. The project aims to have the Coliseum ready for its iconic panto season in 2025, ensuring the theatre’s legacy continues for generations to come.

Accessible Oldham

Accessible Oldham is transforming the town centre, making it safer, easier, and more enjoyable to travel, especially for cyclists and pedestrians. Over the next four years, streets will be upgraded with improved roads, footpaths, and public spaces, creating a more welcoming and accessible environment.

This scheme complements Oldham’s wider regeneration, including the redevelopment of Spindles Town Square Shopping Centre and the creation of a new town centre park. A key feature is its integration into Greater Manchester’s Bee Network, the UK’s largest cycling and walking network, encouraging greener travel.

Projects include new cycle routes, pedestrian-friendly zones, and improved access to key locations such as Oldham Leisure Centre and the Metrolink. Market Place, Lord Street, and High Street will see major enhancements, while a new entry system at Tommyfield Market will improve accessibility.

Broadway Green and Hollinwood warehouses

Developers are nearing completion of a major project that could bring nearly 2,000 jobs to Oldham. At Broadway Green, 480,000 square feet of warehouse space has been finished, creating around 760 jobs once fully occupied. Chancerygate is also developing an industrial complex with 18 smaller warehouses, expected to provide 200 full-time positions. Plans for Hollinwood Junction are progressing, with additional employment space set to create 720 more jobs.

In addition to employment opportunities, the development includes 680 new homes, 400 of which are already built, with another 280 in the works. Around 300 of these homes will be available as affordable rent or shared ownership.

The project is also accompanied by £23m in infrastructure improvements, including the construction of Lydia Becker Way, upgrades to local highways and junctions, and a new linear park, enhancing the area's appeal for both residents and businesses.

Atom Valley

Atom Valley is set to transform Greater Manchester’s economy, and Oldham is playing a crucial role in this ambitious project. As part of the wider regeneration efforts, Oldham will benefit from the creation of high-tech employment spaces, driving investment and innovation in advanced materials and manufacturing.

A key component of Atom Valley is the Sustainable Materials and Manufacturing Centre (SMMC), planned for Rochdale’s Kingsway Business Park, easily accessible via Metrolink. While this hub is a flagship development, Oldham’s part of the initiative will contribute significantly to the 17 million sq. ft of flexible employment space, supporting local businesses and attracting cutting-edge industries.

With 20,000 highly skilled jobs set to be created across Atom Valley, Oldham is poised to be a major beneficiary, boosting economic growth and employment opportunities. This project aligns with Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham’s vision of positioning the region as a global leader in advanced manufacturing and innovation.

Stakehill

Stakehill is an available employment site within Atom Valley capable of accommodating around 150,000 sqm of high-quality, adaptable industrial and warehousing floorspace within a ‘green’ employment park setting. It would work as a focus for advanced manufacturing and/or other key economic sectors, being located in close proximity to Junction 20 of the M62.

Oldham Council will be attending MIPIM 2025 as part of the Manchester delegation.