£130m Gateway homes scheme approved

Oldham Planning Committee

HUNDREDS of houses will be built or refurbished to rejuvenate the gateways into Oldham.

Six proposals to build 523 houses and refurbish 463 others were approved to give Oldham a housing boost.

They include five applications to build 430 new homes, ranging from two to five bedrooms, and carry out the extensive refurbishment as part of the Gateway to Oldham scheme, funded by £130 million of Government cash.

It involves creating new purpose-built community rooms, enhanced recreational spaces, extensive landscaping and improvements to car parking provision and private gardens.

The council’s development partner, the Inspiral consortium, has worked with council officers and residents to develop the final designs.

As well as carrying out construction, refurbishment, and infrastructure improvements, the contractor will be responsible for maintaining the social rented properties during a 25-year contract.

The five Gateway developments include:

::Building 78 houses at the now demolished Fitton Hill Junior School, Keswick Avenue. Councillor Steve Bashforth said: “It’s a really nice development with plenty of open space, a variety of dwellings and a village type atmosphere. Absolutely superb.”

::Building 47 houses on land at Dew Way, Hilda Street and Oldham Way, Coldhurst.

::Building 28 houses at the former Oldham Trading Standards base at North House, Rochdale Road, Coldhurst. Councillor John Hudson said: “This will be a lot better. A development like this improves the district. It looks like a good plan and a good scheme.”

::Demolishing 64 existing homes and replacing them with 85 houses and refurbishing 365 existing properties and constructing a new community centre and two retail units on land at Crossley Estate, Denton Lane and Walsh Street, Chadderton. Councillor Hudson praised the consultation, adding: “It will be the best thing that can happen. It will be a great addition and will make Crossley a lovely place to live.”

::Demolishing 254 existing houses and replacing them with 192 dwellings, refurbishing 98 existing dwellings and building a new community centre at Primrose Bank, Oldham.

Councillor Bashforth said: “It’s like a new era of housing for the town this. Proper consultation with residents has come up with something everyone is happy with.”

The sixth application was from Contour Housing Group for a development of 93 eco-homes, car parking and public open space on land at St Mary’s Way, Oldham.