£5m youth zone wins approval

HOW the youth zone is expected to look

Oldham Council planning committee

Oldham’s new £5 million youth zone is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform facilities for young people.

And it will be part of a new wave of centres across the county proving facilities that they want and will use.

That was the vow as councillors approved the plans for the Oldham Youth Zone on the former Marjory Lees health centre site.

Funded with a Lottery grant, it will include a sports hall, outdoor pitch, boxing gym, fitness room, climbing wall, dance studio, small cinema area, cafe, covered patio and meeting rooms. Young people have been closely involved in the development which will be called Mahdlo (Oldham backwards) and is due to open next year.

Other features include striking “chameleon cladding” which will change colour from rust orange to emerald green depending from where it is viewed. A solar wall will also produce heating and reduce running costs.

Jerry Glover, a former youth worker at the acclaimed Bolton Lads and Girls Club which opened in 2002, said many clubs were failing young people because they were not up to date and relevant.

The Bolton club, he said, is used by 5,000 people each week and is recognised as the best in the country.

Mr Glover added: “In the past eight years the club has had a huge impact.

“The proposed Oldham Youth Zone is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Funding has been secured to build a facility that everyone in the town can, and I am sure will, be proud of. It will be used by people from all communities and all abilities.”