Oldham secures cash for culture hub

A PLAN to bring together three cultural buildings in Oldham into a new heritage and arts centre has secured development funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

It has committed £615,000 to the scheme, which involves Gallery Oldham and the library and Lifelong Learning Centre.

This cash will support a later second-stage bid for a total grant of £3.9m.

The proposals involve a new Oldham Heritage Centre housed in the former Oldham Library and Art Gallery on Union Street.

Once refurbished the Grade II-listed building would become a new base for the Local Studies and Archives Centre and museum collections.

A separate application to Arts Council England Fund is seeking a grant towards a new-build Oldham Coliseum Theatre. This would be sited on the current car park on Southgate Street with its front-of-house operations, education and administrative functions based in the Heritage Centre. A decision is expected in January.

Jim McMahon, Oldham Council Leader, said: “We’re delighted the HLF has confirmed this funding for a scheme that respects our heritage but also looks to the future. Heritage will be the foundation stone from which we rebuild Oldham and this is an important part of our plans which shows we are gaining real momentum.
 
“Street art and features will be part of that but an Oldham Heritage Centre – where we tell and celebrate the history of our Borough – will be absolutely central. The wider regeneration scheme we’re planning here is inspiring because it will bring all our cultural jewels together in one integrated facility. That will significantly enhance our leisure, arts and heritage offer and provide yet another significant catalyst for wider regeneration of our town centre.”