Extra money will improve car park

LANDSCAPING at a Royton town centre car park will be improved with money from the contract to improve sheltered housing in the town.

The £6,000 will top up £3,000 put in by the Royton and Shaw District Partnership, and another £6,000 from Oldham Council’s gateways programme, totalling £15,000.

The Radcliffe Street car park has been identified by the council as a key access into the town centre.

The £15,000 landscaping work will include new planting and grassed areas, bollards and feature boulders.

There is a separate project to resurface and reline it, and improve the street lighting, at a cost of £56,000.

The contract for the sheltered housing at Whittaker Street and York Square, which was carried out by Bullock Construction, included a £20,000 contribution — called Section 106 — to improve public open space in the area.

A report from Elaine McLean, executive director for economy, places and skills, who approved the spending, says: “The extent of the open space surrounding the car park is so large that existing resources will only have a minor impact.

“By adding the Section 106 resources with those already committed, a much larger and more comprehensive scheme can be implemented that will have the visual impact required.”