Council chiefs visit new Great Places’ affordable homes at Maple Mill

Councillor Arooj Shah, Leader of Oldham Council and Cllr Elaine Taylor, the council’s Cabinet Member for Housing, joined Great Places on a visit to its affordable development at Maple Mill in Hathershaw.

Cllrs Shah and Taylor were joined by Nick Cumberland, Head of Great Places’ Affordable Development Programme, and members of the project team on a tour of the £13.3 million site.

The councillors also had an opportunity to meet with some of the customers who have recently moved into the completed new homes.

Built on the site of former derelict mill the 98-home new development, part-funded by Homes England and delivered in partnership with MCI Developments, provides a range of traditionally constructed homes including one- and two-bedroom apartments and two, three and four-bedroom houses with gardens, parking and good access to local services and amenities.

The development’s six ground floor cottage-style apartments also provide accessible accommodation for people with poor mobility and require a level-access shower.

All the homes include bike stores and some feature solar panels.

To protect the biodiversity of the local area, Great Places has also incorporated bat houses and bird boxes across the development.

Maple Mill is one of six new developments Great Places is currently delivering in Oldham, which will provide a total of 350 new homes, and complements the existing homes the housing group has across the Borough.

Councillor Shah welcomed the opening of the new homes, which comes just a few weeks after she hosted Oldham’s Housing Roundtable to address the crisis in housing facing the borough.

Cllr Shah said: “I’m so pleased to see these brand-new affordable homes built here in Hathershaw and was privileged today to talk to some of the people who will now be calling Maple Mill home.

“Everyone deserves a safe place to live but sadly, nationally, our housing system is broken.

"That’s why I’m proud that, in Oldham, we’re working hard with partners such as Great Places to create local solutions to the national housing crisis.

"Oldham needs more quality homes of all sizes and affordability, and this new development at Maple Mill is just one of the big housing projects underway that, together, will help us achieve this.

“With this, as well as new homes being built in the town centre through our partnership with Muse; major housing developments at Broadway Green and across the borough; and our pledge to build new 500 social homes; we’re working hard to address the housing crisis that currently affects too many people here in Oldham and nationwide."

Nick Cumberland, Head of the Affordable Development Programme at Great Places, added: “We’re delighted to have had the opportunity to show the councillors around Maple Mill and to speak with some of our new customers.

“We’re proud of the work we’ve done to deliver these high-quality homes in Oldham.

"Maple Mill is a welcome addition to our existing homes in the borough, providing much-needed affordable homes in the area with a mix of homes that meet local demand and excellent access to local facilities and transport links."

---

Do you have a story for us? Want to tell us about something going on in and around Oldham? Let us know by emailing news@oldham-chronicle.co.uk , calling our Oldham-based newsroom on 0161 633 2121 , tweeting us @oldhamchronicle or messaging us through our Facebook page. All contact will be treated in confidence.