New life for an Oldham icon
Former Manchester Chambers
The Former Manchester Chambers site, located opposite the Civic Centre and bound by West Street, King Street, and Oldham Bus Station, is a key part of Oldham’s town centre regeneration.
Currently in use as a commercial building, the site is set to undergo refurbishment and transformation to create a vibrant space that complements the surrounding development, including the Former Magistrates’ Court and Civic Centre sites.
Former Manchester Chambers site highlighted in red
Location and Connectivity
The site is ideally positioned within Oldham Town Centre, benefiting from excellent connectivity to key transport routes. To the north, it is connected to West Street and the public realm around Oldham Bus Station, while vehicle access is provided via King Street to the west. The site’s location ensures easy access to the wider town centre, with seamless movement between the sites in the emerging neighbourhood.
Background
The Former Manchester Chambers is identified in the Draft Local Plan as a core area for redevelopment, with the site poised to accommodate a variety of commercial uses. An outline planning application is currently being brought forward to establish the principle of development, with further reserved matters applications to follow, providing more details on the proposed layout, scale, and other key elements.
Proposals
The proposals for this site have been developed alongside proposals for the Former Magistrates Court and the Civic Centre, located immediately to the north. These sites are closely aligned, and the indicative designs reflect this through careful consideration of the interactions and interfaces between them.
Once developed the area will be experienced as part of a unified neighbourhood which shares a common design language and promotes seamless movement between the sites.
The proposals for the site include the retention and refurbishment of the existing Manchester Chambers building, with the following anticipated uses:
Commercial
The ground floor is proposed to host a range of commercial spaces, potentially including retail, cafe, gym, or food and beverage outlets.
Offices
Offices will occupy the upper floors, creating an attractive environment for businesses in the heart of the town.
Public Realm
It will enhance the surrounding public spaces, promoting pedestrian connectivity and access to the wider town centre.
Sketch of proposed Former Manchester Chambers plan
The development plans reflect careful consideration of the surrounding sites, particularly the Former Magistrates’ Court and Civic Centre, ensuring a cohesive design that unites the area.
The proposals aim to preserve the historic value of the Manchester Chambers building while integrating it seamlessly into the modern look and feel of the neighbourhood.
Your views are important. The feedback we received during this consultation will shape the future of Oldham Town Centre. We will update you with the outcome of this consultation in the coming weeks.
Find out about our other proposals below
