Stadium deal opens key Oldham gateway site

THE £5.5m deal being hammered out between Oldham Council and the town’s football club will bring forward regeneration at one of the town’s key gateway sites, according to new leader Cllr Jim McMahon.

Speaking to TheBusinessDesk.com following the announcement of a deal between the two parties on Monday night, Cllr McMahon said that although Oldham Council “has seen better days in terms of its revenue and budget”, there was still money available for key projects within the town.

Cllr Dave Hibbert, cabinet member responsible for housing, transport and regeneration, said the acquired site could potentially be used as a hotel, as well as for leisure and retail uses. There is also the potential for some of the commercial elements of the previous scheme including five-a-side pitches and pub/restaurant outlets, to be retained.

“There’s all sorts of options,” said Hibbert.

“We’ve got to get developers in who see the opportunities and want to get involved.

He added that the site was “one of the main gateways” into Oldham – close to the main arterial route between Oldham and Manchester.

“So if that looks good and that’s the first impression people have got of Oldham then those impressions will carry on. Its my job to make sure that the rest of the town supplements that first impression.”

A 15,000-seat stadium was planned for the site but problems with a covenant over part of the site meant that Oldham Athletic eventually had to abandon the move in February.

Oldham Athletic had reportedly threatened legal action against the council and the potential withdrawal of the club to a neighbouring borough.

The new deal involves Oldham Council buying the site and providing the club with a £700,000 grant to offer community facilities at Boundary Park, allowing for a redevelopment of the existing stadium.

McMahon said the deal gave certainty to the club “after ten years of indecision” from the council.

“The issue for us was whether we as a council felt the club was an integral part of the community or not and we did.”

He added that it was too early to know what the eventual bill for the deal might be – “other than to say its a figure that I’m personally comfortable with and it’s a figure that I think delivers for the taxpayer.

“The challenge now for us is to make sure that the commercial elements on the site are realised.”

McMahon also said that the fact the deal had been agreed within 60 days was a sign of the progress the new leadership was making.

“We’re whisking through the to-do list,” he said. “Part of the issues that have ground down Oldham’s confidence is that projects have dragged on for too long.

“It’s time to get on with things, get the old stuff resolved and move on with new ideas. The business community need to know that they’re working with a decisive leadership.”

The council recently signed a strategic development agreement with Langtree to bring forward the redevelopment of business parks and leisure units in nearby Hollinwood, and McMahon said he had also held early talks with ING over The Spindles shopping centre in the town and improving its links to the Metrolink which will arrive in the centre in 2014.

“It’s early stages at the moment but we’re moving forward with some radical plans for Union St to improve the street scene there.”