Muse lodges plans for 2,000-home Oldham neighbourhood

Muse has lodged a series of planning applications with Oldham Council, setting a new vision for 24.7 acres of town centre sites. The developer teamed up with the council last year to draft a development framework for the town centre, including the delivery of 2,000 homes over the next 15 years.  A guiding document was adopted by the council in November last year. The proposals include six sites: Prince’s Gate, the former magistrates’ court, the former Manchester chambers, the former leisure centre, the civic centre, and civic tower. The partners plan to retain and refurbish the existing chambers building, which will host a range of uses, including offices, gym, café, retail and food and beverage space. The civic tower will become a hotel. On the site of the former leisure centre, there is a potential to deliver up to 270 homes alongside ground-floor commercial and community space. A further 219 homes will be delivered on the site of former magistrates’ court, up to 331 homes will be built on the site of Prince’s Gate and 838 homes are proposed on the site of the civic centre. Alex Vogel, senior development manager at Muse, said: “We’ve worked closely with Oldham Council and the community to shape plans that are inclusive, distinctive and rooted in place. It’s a long-term commitment to unlocking the town centre’s full potential and creating places that work for everyone.” Arooj Shah, leader of Oldham Council, said: “These applications reflect the ambition and belief we have in our town and its future. We’ve taken the time to listen, to understand what people want from their town centre – and these plans are built on that conversation. “This is about creating a place that people can feel proud of – where families can put down roots, businesses can thrive and everyone feels welcome.” Image from Muse