The first step towards 2,000 new homes

Oldham Council is moving forwards with plans to bring 2,000 new homes to the borough. A planning application to prepare the former Oldham Leisure Centre and Pool for a huge new development project has been greenlit by the planning committee.

The land is tipped for development by ‘city planners’ Muse and could ultimately become 250 apartments in a series of L-shaped blocks, along with a section of the ‘linear park’ - a green space that will run across the entire length of the town.

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While a separate planning proposal is incoming for the actual building works, initial preparation of the site by the council has been approved. Currently being used as a car park, all the parking metres, lamp posts and ‘car park paraphernalia’ will be removed.

The uneven ground will be levelled out and ‘remediation works’ will take place - meaning any waste or harmful substances on the grounds will be taken care of.

The works will mean the loss of 123 car parking spaces in the town centre, which won’t be replaced under the new plans. But a ‘parking strategy’ is currently being developed by Oldham Council, including creating ‘better quality and better placed’ disabled bays around the city centre, according to highways officer Wendy Moorhouse.

A planning report said the preparation will ‘help secure the future benefits of regeneration of the town centre and the provision of future housing in a sustainable location’. It also suggested the development would ‘result in significant public benefits’ without affecting local wildlife or heritage.

The site is largely bound by roads and borders the land of Oldham Parish Church and the current site of the Tommyfield Market, due to be turned into the new Eton Star Academy.

Councillor Peter Davies put the motion forward for approval, saying: “I don’t think we can argue against this. It’s smartening the place up, preparing it for development.”

The proposal received no objections and was unanimously approved by the council.