Muse advises on ambitious plans for Oldham

Oldham City Council and development partner Muse want to build 2,000 homes in the town centre over the next 15 years as part of a new development framework for the town.

Phil Mayall, Oldham-born director of Muse, said: “We want Oldham to become a hub for successful local businesses, a destination characterised by quality housing, leisure and outdoor spaces, and a family-friendly place that reflects its heritage as a thriving northern town.

“Working with residents, businesses, local community groups, educational institutions, regional partners and charities will be fundamental to creating a framework that captures the essence of the town and its local community, to deliver the new homes Oldham needs.”

Today (July 24, 2024) they presented the draft Development Framework, which sets out their approach to the realization of these homes.

The framework includes plans to develop a range of owner-occupied and rental homes.

It says: “The overall vision is to create a town centre with character, thousands of new homes and an emphasis on sustainability, community and quality, which in turn will deliver more local jobs and learning opportunities for Oldham residents.”

As part of the next phase, Muse and Oldham Council are holding a seven-week community conversation in the town centre with a series of events taking place from Wednesday 24 July to Wednesday 11 September. The first event will take place on Monday 29e July at the Spindles Shopping Centre in the city centre, where the local community will have the opportunity to talk to the project team about the proposals and have their say.

Speaking ahead of the community conversation, Councillor Arooj Shah, Leader of Oldham Council, said: “It’s an exciting milestone for Oldham in our commitment to creating a stunning new town centre. By partnering with an internationally renowned developer in Muse, we are building up to 2,000 new homes – a vital part of our work to deliver a local solution to the national housing crisis that has been building over the past 14 years.

“It is adjacent to the leisure, cultural, retail and business attractions that are coming on stream. For example, since the first phase of the Spindles redevelopment, the number of visitors to the shopping centre has increased by 1,000 per day. Together with Muse, we are creating new residential options in the city centre, making us one of the most exciting and dynamic places in Greater Manchester once again.”

Following community consultation, the Development Framework will be updated to reflect community feedback. It will then be reviewed by Oldham Council’s Cabinet for approval. Once approved, the Development Framework will be used by Oldham Council’s Planning Committee when considering planning applications submitted in the five Character Areas.