A new town centre hotel and supermarket are coming to Oldham – one of several regeneration updates to be discussed by the council's Cabinet this week.
It has now been confirmed that a planning application is due later this year for the development of a hotel and Lidl at Princes Gate, Mumps.
Councillor Arooj Shah, Leader of Oldham Council, said: “We know people were disappointed with what appeared to be no action taking place at Prince’s Gate, but we were having conversations at pace to ensure that work was progressing to honour the promise of development. We are now at a stage where we can share the first steps towards that.
“Prince’s Gate is just one of the many fantastic projects taking place to give us all a town centre we can all be proud of.
“You’ll also start to see the redevelopment of Spindles start very soon while other projects are live and well on their way.
“Actions speak louder than words and the transformation of Oldham is now a reality.”
The meeting will also see Cabinet agree a timeline for the redevelopment of Spindles, following approval to demolish the former TJ Hughes unit to make way for Oldham's new market.
Works will start on site in spring, and the council say a detailed planning application will be submitted "very soon" for the brand new Tommyfield Market, as well as new venues for work, entertainment and leisure.
A plan to support traders, both current and future, as the new market opens will also be discussed. This could include financial assistance with the physical move; tailored investment into the look and feel of the new stalls and layout; to enhance and support traders in the new market hall; and a review of rent levels or rent-free periods.
Councillor Shah added: “A big thank you to the thousands of people who took the time to view and comment on the various projects during the recent Big Oldham Conversation consultation events. Your views have been listened to - for example, we'll be incorporating lighting and other security measures into our plans for our new town centre park, to be named Jubilee Park.
"You've also told us your ideas for future use of the Old Library - such as family-friendly events, meeting spaces, more space for Gallery Oldham and opportunities for local artists and performers. All of these are really helping us to shape the plans and I look forward to sharing more detailed proposals as soon as possible.
"There’s a lot to look forward to and we promise to keep you updated throughout.”
The council say it is committed to working with local contractors to deliver these developments to "ensure our plans benefit residents, businesses and the borough's wider economy as much as possible".
Other key updates to be discussed at the meeting include progress reports on projects which are already underway, including improvement works at Royton Town Hall and Library; ongoing works to create a new environmentally-friendly depot at Alexandra Park; and the council's Accessible Oldham programme, which is improving public areas across the town centre to make it easier to get around.
All of these plans are included in the council's Creating a Better Place proposals, which together will unlock investment worth £285 million; as well as creating more than 2,000 new homes in Oldham town centre, 1,000 new jobs and 100 apprenticeship opportunities.
You can watch a fly-though video which highlights the major regeneration projects taking place across the town centre at the top of the page.
The council's Cabinet will meet at 4pm on Thursday (17 February) and you can watch the meeting live on the Oldham Council website.
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