Last week, I met with Oldham Council, MUSE, and Homes England to discuss the ambitious plans for regenerating Oldham Town Centre. The focus is clear: breathing new life into our high streets, revitalising key landmarks like Spindles and the Old Town Hall, and delivering quality, affordable homes that will bring people back into the heart of our town.
We’ve already seen major investment transforming the town centre—first with the restoration of the Old Town Hall, then the reopening of the Egyptian Room, and now the near-completion of the new market and events space on the old TJ Hughes site. The refurbishment of the Old Library is also well underway, with the new civic centre set to be based there.
And the progress doesn’t stop there. Over 2,000 new homes are planned, stretching from where the Civic Centre currently stands down to Princes Gate at Mumps. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reshape Oldham for the better.
I know that some people, myself included, will feel a sense of loss with the original Queen Elizabeth Hall and Tommyfield Market making way for these changes, they both hold great memories and are such an important feature of the town. But their legacy will live on, with a new events hall and a fresh, modern market space set to take their place, adding up to boost traders and retailers and restaurants and cafes in and around Parliament Square.
With these developments moving forward—and the much-anticipated return of the Coliseum—Oldham is on the brink of a real transformation. There’s plenty still to do, but the future of our town centre is looking brighter than ever!
Jim McMahon OBE MP 