Green light for Oldham town hall plans

OLDHAM Council’s plans to transform the Old Town Hall into a cinema and family entertainment venue have been cleared by the Government.
 
The scheme was approved by the council’s planning committee in September but needed final sign off by communities and local government secretary Eric Pickles because it required listed building consent.

The council said the approved scheme was, “a vision to restore a civic jewel” in a redevelopment that re-uses and extends the Grade II-listed town hall to include a new cinema, cafes, restaurants and retail outlets.

Council leader Jim McMahon said: “This is excellent news and a crucial milestone in our plans for Oldham town centre.

“The decision shows we did our preparatory work well. It was absolutely vital that we consulted the public about our plans and also that we acted to preserve the building’s status by working closely with English Heritage.
 
“Oldham needs a cinema and family entertainment venue and we believe the Old Town Hall site offers a fantastic opportunity to deliver that in a unique and historic setting.
 
“These plans are absolutely integral to our vision for the wider town centre and – following our recent ‘Invest in Oldham’ event in London – we’re now in discussions with potential developers and commercial partners to bring this vision to life.”
 
The town hall was built in 1841 but has been closed since the mid-1990s. The plans were drawn up by Manchester-based BDP.