Muse and Oldham Council lodge plan for 2,000 homes in town centre

Developer Muse and Oldham Council submitted applications to the local authority earlier this week to build 2,000 homes in the town centre over 15 years.

The plans involve the redevelopment of six sites – Prince’s gate, the former Magistrate’s Court, the former Manchester Chambers, the former Leisure Centre, the Civic Centre, and Civic Tower.

Oldham Council and Muse finalised the proposals for the Oldham Town Living regeneration project following the cabinet’s endorsement of the Oldham Town Living Development Framework in November 2024.

The framework includes feedback from the community consultation and will be used by the authority’s planning committee when considering applications brought forward in the town centre’s key areas.

Alex Vogel, senior development manager at Muse, said: “Since the public consultation, we have carefully considered feedback from the community and wider stakeholder to shape our proposals, so that they create an exciting and inclusive future for everybody in Oldham.

>>See also: Muse and Oldham Council unveil draft plan for 2,000-home town centre scheme

“We’re committed to working in partnership with Oldham Council to transform the town centre into a place that people want to live, work, and visit.”

The Civic Centre, former Magistrates’ Court and old Manchester Chambers sites are set to become a unified neighbourhood. The Civic Centre and old Magistrates’ Court will have 1,057 homes, while the Chambers will provide commercial facilities and office space. Although details of the housing tenures are yet to be confirmed, this part of the project will deliver “a variety of unit types to cater to different housing needs.”

A 270-home “energy-efficient” and green neighbourhood is planned for the Leisure Centre plot, while Prince’s Gate is a 331-home residential scheme. The proposals for the Civic Tower could see it repurposed into a hotel. 

Earlier this week, housing minister Matthew Pennycook formally rejected Oldham Council’s bid to back out of a housing project set to deliver 11,500 homes on brownfield and greenbelt land.

In a letter to the council, Matthew Pennycook wrote there is “no justification” to approve the withdrawal from the Places for Everyone (PfE) scheme, a joint development plan of nine districts within the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) adopted in March 2024.