We deserve this

INTO THE FUTURE . . . how the new M&S development would look alongside other possible housing and retail development in the Prince’s Gate at Oldham Mumps area.

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Council leader Jim McMahon expressed his desire to create a more positive future for the borough as he unveiled plans for the arrival of Marks and Spencer to the Prince’s Gate development.

“WHILE other towns are simply finding ways to manage their decline, Oldham is fighting back,” he said. “We refuse to accept being a satellite town to Manchester. The town and its people deserve better.”

He said regeneration plans would cost around £60 million, with most of the cost met by the new businesses and the council tax generated by the new residents moving into new homes.

He said: “We have been working solidly for a very long time to create a vision for Oldham to show the people of Oldham that we have a positive future, certainly a more positive future than some people would define for us.

“This development is without doubt the most significant regeneration scheme seen in Oldham for many years. It’s all about the place and its people. We are investing in the people of the town and its future generations.”

The Prince’s Gate plan will move forward alongside current developments across the town centre, such as the old town hall, the new Coliseum and heritage centre, the new sports centre, new buildings at the college, the independent quarter, new offices in Union Street, a new hotel and conferencing centre and the regeneration of the shopping centre.

The idea to bring Marks and Spencer to Oldham was first proposed to the retail giant three years ago and the council has since bought vacant buildings around the site and done groundwork.

Councillor McMahon said: “We didn’t want to announce this until we had everything in place. People are fed-up of seeing artist impressions that never materialise.”



COMMENT


M&S coming to town has been one of the worst-kept and most whispered-about secrets in Oldham for a long time.

But while it was just a possibility, there was a real chance that pressing the council and the M&S bosses to confirm/deny the growing rumours was actually going to scupper a deal.

Such was the commercial sensitivity of the drawn-out negotiations there has been a verbal agreement to write nothing - not something we do very often, but ths was for the long-term good of the town. Oldham needs an M&S store to be the “golden piece” in a redevelopment jigsaw. Now, finally, the marketing of the long-time vacant NatWest Bank building, the former Tory club and others will have real focus. The Chronicle’s own buildings might well eventually become part of the growing Prince’s Gate redevelopment.