The north has plenty to offer

A report suggesting Oldham people should move to London, Oxford or Cambridge for a better future has been rejected by Oldham Council.

Last week the think tank Policy Exchange report “Cities Unlimited” said northern towns and cities had little hope of regeneration.

And although the authors agreed their views might seem ‘barmy’, they suggested three million new homes should be built in the south of England for northern migration.

But the council’s executive director of regeneration, Tom Flanagan, said: “It’s quite clear that the report’s authors have not taken the time to have a close look at the development and regeneration that is going on in the north, and Oldham in particular.”

He picked out how Oldham has been able to attract the UK’s only silicon chip manufacturer Zetex, helping them to build 50,000 sq ft research and development facility for advanced engineering.

Supermarkets have made massive investments: Tesco opened a brand new 86,000 sq ft store and a petrol station in July 2007, creating 390 full and part-time jobs and last year Asda opened the first eco-friendly supermarket in the country.

Costing £20 million and providing 309 jobs, the store is short-listed for a Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors North West award.

Investment in housing includes the renovation of 165 properties in Derker and another 130 in Werneth.

He said nearly £200 million has been spent on Oldham’s housing stock over the last couple of years which means it is well positioned for when the market turns around.

And he added: “If Oxford or Cambridge tried to do what we are doing they would quickly grind to a halt. They have neither the infrastructure, ambition, leadership or political will to match the progress Manchester city region is destined to make.”

The council’s deputy leader, Councillor Jackie Stanton, said: “It is ridiculous to suggest that the South is the only place in the country the deserves the opportunity to develop and thrive into the 21st century. We have a plan to develop the Borough into a successful and exciting community and we are going to carry this out”.