Flicker of hope

REGENERATION plans: Oldham Town Hall

COUNCIL chiefs have revealed their desire for a cinema-led leisure complex at Oldham Town Hall as work to secure the historic building’s future moved a step closer.

Oldham Council has appointed Britain’s largest architectural practice — the Building Design Partnership (BDP) — to design a scheme to bring the historic Grade II-listed building back into use.

And council leader Jim McMahon has spoken of his ambition to deliver a family facility along the lines of Manchester’s Printworks and finally end Oldham’s shame of its landmark building left crumbling.

BDP was chosen because of its extensive experience in the conservation of historic buildings and bringing them back into use as new enterprises.

The council says refurbishment of the Grade II-listed building is a priority with work to stop further decay and weather damage already carried out.

Councillor McMahon said: “The old town hall is one of our best-known buildings but its condition means it is no longer the source of civic pride that it clearly should be. We are committed to looking at every option here.

“We’ve always said there will be no quick fix and — because of the building’s current condition — no developer would be prepared to work with us because it is not a viable proposition. By bringing BDP on board we will produce a workable scheme that would enable either the council or a developer to take on the building wholesale — or enter into a joint venture with us — safe in the knowledge of what they were taking on.

“Once this work is complete there will be no more obstacles in the way and this will pave the way for proposals which could see the site turned into a cinema or other leisure-based facility.

“It won’t happen overnight but our vision here is to deliver a family leisure destination — something similar to the atmosphere of The Printworks in Manchester.

“The old town hall is important to the public. It should be a source of civic pride — not a symbol of neglect — and it is vitally important that we make progress on this.”

Manchester’s Printworks opened in 2000 and combines a 23-screen Odeon cinema, complete with IMAX 3D screen, with restaurants, pubs and a stage area.

BDP is investigating a range of options for Oldham Town Hall and aims to conserve as much of its historic fabric as possible. The firm will progress the plans to a stage where planning and listed building consent applications can be submitted, which is expected to be later this year.

BDP architect director Alan Davies said: “Oldham’s Old Town Hall represents an important part of the town’s heritage, but because of its layout and historical features it is a difficult building to adapt. For many years it has defied efforts to bring it back into use and it has fallen into disrepair.

“We look forward to sharing our insight and knowledge, and aim to see the conservation and re-use of this historical landmark.”

BDP (Building Design Partnership) was founded in 1961 and employs over 900 staff. It’s responsible for a host of iconic designs, including Manchester Piccadilly Station, Glasgow Science Centre, Middleton Arena, the Liverpool One retail site and for reconfiguring Aintree racecourse.

The town hall was built in three phases between 1850 and 1917. it is a copy of the temple of the Greek god Ceres near Athens and a blue plaque at the entrance commemorates where Winston Churchill stood when he was elected MP for the town in 1900.

Council officers moved out for the Civic Centre in 1978, although small rooms were used by a variety of groups, and the court room was used as a satellite Crown Court until 1995. It has festered since.

In 2008, the Oldham Chronicle was given access and found water running down the walls, roosting pigeons and wet and dry rot. Original features had collapsed and there were huge cracks in the ceiling.

A damning at-risk list drawn up by the Victorian Society in 2009 named it as one of the nation’s top 10 endangered buildings.

Workmen carried out £700,000 repair works in 2010 to make it stable and weatherproof and pave the way for regeneration.