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An Oldham version of Sheffield’s Winter Garden could transform the town centre
Reporter: PHILIP HIRST
Date online: 23 February 2010
Think big to halt the decline
DOES Sheffield hold the key to regenerating Oldham town centre?
In the last years of the 20th century the Yorkshire city’s centre was in the doldrums. The steel industry for which the city was famous was decimated by closures and redundancies with the inevitable effect on the prosperity of the area.
The health of the city centre wasn’t helped by the opening of the giant Meadowhall shopping centre, which sucked trade away to the outskirts.
The city’s reaction was to set about revitalising its centre, and one of the jewels created is the Winter Garden, opened in 2002.
This giant temperate glasshouse — 230ft (70m) long, 72ft (22m) wide and 72ft (22m) high — has become one of the most popular features of the city centre, and figures among the top 10 most visited free attractions in Britain.
The glasshouse forms a part of a covered walkway between the Peace Gardens — a big outdoor open area with water features and space for events — and the Millennium Galleries, which are used to show off Sheffield’s metalworking past among other things, and the Crucible Theatre, Lyceum Theatre and art gallery area.
Work is going on at the moment to create a water feature as a continuation of the walkway.
The whole of Sheffield’s “Heart of the City” regeneration cost £120 million, but there’s no reason why Oldham should not steal one of the good ideas that made up the project.
There’s the perfect opportunity to create a similar modern, well-designed stunning building next to the old Town Hall, on the site of the car park and bus station.
What happens to the Town Hall itself?
If we are honest, it might be that we have no choice but to abandon hopes of preserving much of the building behind the original 1841 facade.
By all accounts, the state of the building — whoever is to blame — might make preservation simply too expensive.
If that is the case, then we should set our sights on creating something special for ourselves.
In Sheffield, the Winter Garden is flanked by galleries on one side and a classy new hotel on the other, as well as restaurants and offices.
Perhaps a hotel is not right for Oldham town centre, but there would be the chance to create a similar striking building joined to the glasshouse. Meanwhile, Oldham Winter Garden would provide a covered link between the town centre, the planned Metrolink Stop at Sainsbury’s and the Cultural Quarter.
If the Town Hall can be preserved intact, then it, too, could be linked to the glasshouse.
Too ambitious? Too expensive? The Sheffield Winter Garden was funded by the Millennium Commission, Sheffield City Council and English Partnerships — the Government’s national regeneration agency.
It is tougher than ever to put together funding for regeneration projects like this, but if Oldham doesn’t think big, it will carry on dwindling in stature, and surely everyone is fed up of that.
In Charlie Parker, we already have a Chief Executive whose background is in regeneration. Indeed, he used to be Director of Investment and Performance at English Partnerships, immediately before he came to Oldham. We have the knowledge.
Oldham’s Liberal Democrat administration has shown itself willing to try to improve our surroundings over the past couple of years, but we now need an explosion of all-party political will to carry forward a project like this.
Can we do it? Let’s say: “Yes we can!”
Comments
"Oldham’s Liberal Democrat administration has shown itself willing to try to improve our surroundings over the past couple of years"
please explain what these improvements are, we still have a crumbling Town Hall, No Cinema, No Bowling Alley, a delapidate market, an half empty shopping centre, out dated leisure facilities, expensive pieces of are that don't work, and the only thing Charlie Paprker has back ground in is feeding his fat cats with massive salaries...!!!!!!!!
Oh no another blueprint coming, wow these consultants must make a fortune in Oldham with dell boy, it’s a shame the english partnerships didn’t keep him
When are we going to see some action in this run down town of ours, talk is cheap, consultation/blueprint are flippin expensive!!!!! Pull your finger out and get something done.
Covering up icy Oldham might encourage a few more visitors. We have a Primark though which is a big draw. We should make more of the smaller retailers in the market and get this promoted much better and encourage more events in Oldham.
We do not need a shiny greenhouse on top of the hill to make Oldham better. We need a reason to go there. Make parking free to compete with the Trafford Centre?
Encourage local retailers by reducing rents for local businesses. Reduce rents on empty properties too
Where they are suggesting the Greenhouse goes in my opinion is wrong, for starters why don't they build a glass roof between the Market Hall and the Spindles. My advice to Charlie Parker would be for him to visit Bury and see what a success they have made of putting a roof over the streets incorporating the shops into the shopping centre.
Philip,
You are right not abandon aspiration. But in essence what are you saying beyond URBED, those patronising dilettante outsiders, who were brought to write the Oldham Beyond Report. Find the people prepared to invest. 12 years ago we had Rsnk almost signing for the land where Sainsbury's went. Three developers had plans approved for the Old Town Hall and they all went pear shaped.
And don't expect the Lib Dems to think big. They never have. They never will.
'..Oldham Winter Garden would provide a covered link between the town centre, the planned Metrolink Stop at Sainsbury’s and the Cultural Quarter.' There in one sentence is the whole problem with the town. Nothing is connected the town is a disjointed mess. Sainsbury's outside town centre on Union St. - Union St. not in town centre. Tram stop at Sainsbury's. Town centre at top of hill. Tram at bottom. Cultural Quarter? A pretentious joke. Spindles & attendant shops sliced the town centre in half.
Following on from comment from Ruffyed:- It's a Historic/Geographic problem. Oldham is built on top of a hill not in a valley like its neighbours.
Metrolink on Union St is better than Metrolink at the former Central Station. What has to be planned for is a covered travelator from Union St into Spindles/Town Sq. M/link will pull retail down to Union St and the consequences of that should thought through and planned for.
If there is not "much hope of preserving much of the building behind the facade" of the Town Hall, then why not use the outer shell of the building for a town centre cinema/bowling alley.These places dont always have to be out of town. Come on Oldham council! Show some imagination.
reading the the comments of the last few months the best thing i did was leaving my cherished hometown 3 years ago to move to greece,i am an higgy lad and my town has been given away,wouldnt happen here
Have Your Say
Flogging a dead horse?
By timberwolf @ 23/02/2010 13:07:15