Regeneration of town is back on

THE regeneration of Failsworth town centre could soon be back on track.

An ambitious multi-million pound town centre scheme including the construction of 150 apartments, retail units and new £5.5m community centre was shelved last year due to the credit crunch and economic downturn.

Now joint venture company Oldham Property Partnerships (OPP), along with Oldham Council and ward councillors, are looking into alternative schemes.

John Mitchell, of the council’s regeneration team, told residents at last night’s meeting: “We will be coming back very shortly with proposals that you will wish to see and support.”

A new scheme would be mainly retail rather than apartment based, but Mr Mitchell said they included the a new community centre which residents had been promised. However, one resident said Failsworth’s new community centre should have been built before the credit crunch.

Warren Bates, said Failsworth should be consulted first about what it wanted before any plans were made.

Mr Mitchell said he guaranteed consultation would take place with shop owners as well as residents




Christmas crime dips



FAILSWORTH has seen one of its quieter Christmas’s according to crime figures.



Area Inspector Dave Shepherd said officers focused on anti-social behaviour and burglary in the lead up to Christmas which resulted in a reduction in assaults and public order offences.

Figures showed the same number of burglaries were committed between November, 2008 to January, 2009 compared with the same period the previous year.

There was one fewer robbery, four fewer vehicle crimes and eight fewer incidents of criminal damage this year.

But there had been an increase in juvenile nuisance along Lord Lane, and Ashton Road East.




Councillor’s plea for movie action



COUNCILLOR Jim McMahon passed a formal request for Oldham Council to look into having a cinema in Failsworth. He said: “If we want to do anything like bowling or go to the cinema, we have to leave the borough — which is unacceptable.”






Methane meeting



A MEETING to discuss plans for a methane stripping plant in Hardman Fold will be held on Thursday at 7pm at the Moston British Legion, Moston Lane East, New Moston.