Oldham Beyond - Urbed

Oldham Beyond - A Vision for the Borough of Oldham - April 2004The Vision for the Borough of Oldham set out on the previous page tapsinto the strengths of the borough as well as the wider economic andsocial trends that Oldham must exploit. We have also looked at the driversfor change in Oldham and the issues that industrial boroughs likeOldham need to address (see pages 12-15). These issues have beendeveloped into a strategy for the borough as summarised below.In pages 18-27 of this report we set out aseries of 82 recommendations under sixheadings: Wealth creation, Liveability, aLearning Community, Common Ground,Sustainability and New Oldham. Theserecommendations are not, however, ashopping list, they are part of a coherentstrategy for the renaissance of the borough.The overall aim of this strategy isto kick start the virtuous circle of recoverythat we described in the vision wherebyeach part of the strategy fuels the next.Some of the 82 proposals are very basic,like better street cleansing, improvedservices and support for existing business.It is important to get these basics right andthis is already happening. It is, however,also important to have transformationalinitiatives that can make a real difference.We have therefore highlighted the ten maininitiatives that we are proposing:New business: The promotion of twomajor new business locations. Thefirst at the Hollinwood junction of theM60 and the A62 (see page 13) shouldbe a prestige business location at one ofthe gateways to the borough. The other,the Mumps Enterprise area within OldhamTown Centre should create a quality intownbusiness location (see Town CentreMasterplan).A creative borough: One of Oldham’sstrengths is its creative peoplebecause of the excellent courses atthe College. Preventing the loss of many ofthese people to Manchester is an importantpart of the strategy through the creationof the Rhodes Bank Creative Quarter, thedevelopment of a striking new home for theColiseum and Peskar Productions and thecreative use of space within mills.The mills of Oldham: We are proposingthe gradual transformation ofthe mills of the borough. While fewof these are vacant, many are underused.We believe that they should be convertedover time to a combination of creativeworkspace and housing. The starting pointis a number of demonstrator projectsincluding Hartford Mill (see Werneth/Freehold masterplan) and Anchor Mill(see page 15). This will help to establisha market to encourage other mill ownersand developers to do the same. Our marketresearch suggests that there are a numberof mill owners who would be interested inthis if values were right. In order to changeperceptions of the mills we are proposingthat they should be illuminated which willcreate a striking spectacle to people passingthrough the borough.An intercultural borough: We areproposing new ways of addressingthe ethnic diversity of the borough. Inthis communities define themselves positivelyboth by what makes them differentand by what unites them. Activities whichencourage intercultural exchange shouldbe given priority for funding. The HousingMarket Renewal process should be used to- 6 -