OLDHAM: ‘There isn’t anywhere else like this in the North West’

Greater Manchester will soon have an ‘urban forestry’ park and farm – the only one of its kind in the north west.

The Northern Roots project, next to Oldham’s Alexandra Park, is due to expand over land at Snipe Clough after plans were approved at a planning meeting last night (Wednesday). 

Alongside previously approved plans to extend the farm, Northern Roots will include a visitor centre with a cafe; a forestry training site; play areas; and an outdoor amphitheatre. The designs also include an events space, which will host everything from gigs to woodland weddings.

Speaking after the planning meeting at Oldham’s Civic Centre, Northern Roots CEO Anna da Silva said: “There isn’t anywhere else like this in the North West. 

“It’s amazing facilities in a place where historically there has been nothing. Already with the little site we have, hundreds of local residents come to us from educational programs, through their GP, as community champions and arts projects. That sense of community can now grow.”  

The organisation could provide a boost for the surrounding community of Alexandra, one of Oldham’s most economically deprived neighbourhoods. A number of young people already visit the small existing farm under alternative school provisions. 

Ms Da Silva told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that Northern Roots is working with local colleges and Salford University to design new education programs that could train young people in subjects ranging from tree surgery and landscaping to marketing and tourism services. These will partly take place in the new classrooms and forestry training centre due to be completed by 2026. 

Ms Da Silva said: “The educational opportunities are enormous … The whole site will become a learning lab, a campus where people can come and see the different [farming and forestry] technologies in practice. It will make those kinds of skills a lot more accessible and there is a growing need for them.” 

The Northern Roots managers ultimately want to create the UK’s largest urban farm and draw in more than 100,000 visitors per year – locally and from afar. 

Councillors at the planning meeting raised some concerns about existing playing courts on the land at Snipe Clough but these will not be affected by the development plans. Instead, the expansion will cover historic playing fields – which have reportedly not been in use for more than fifteen years.