oldham town centre

Outline proposals were developed to improve Oldham Town Centre’s vitality and encourage inward investment. The existing town centre had been ‘severed’ by a recently completed shopping centre, which closed off the centre at night, preventing north-south movement. The existing High Street had been pedestrianised in the past and a bus station at the centre of the town occupied a large space, creating a gap in both the street frontage and retail core.

 

The proposals sought to relocate the bus station to the north east of the town by the council offices, freeing space for development. Development proposals were planned to encourage 24 hour activity and north-south movement via a busy cafe restaurant quarter leading to a new cultural centre in the south.

 

The bus station was to be designed to a high quality with convenience stores integrated within to encourage a greater use of public transport. To the south, additional metro tram stops were proposed to link into the new cultural centre to encourage greater number of visitors, whilst a leisure centre and open market areas were planned to the north.