Planning Applications approved for six key sites in Oldham Town Centre
Planning applications have been approved for Prince’s Gate, the Civic Tower, the Civic Centre, the former Magistrates’ Court, the former Manchester Chambers and the former Leisure Centre in Oldham Town Centre.
The plans will collectively deliver up to 1,619 high-quality, sustainable homes, from one-bedroom apartments to larger family properties, designed to meet the needs of local people.
A proportion of these will be affordable homes, delivered through a range of tenures to help more residents find a home that suits their needs and take their first step onto the property ladder.
Enabling works to prepare the sites for future development are ongoing, with initial works at the Civic Centre now complete. Works at Prince’s Gate and the former Magistrates’ Court are to follow.
Plans to transform Oldham Town Centre have taken another major step forward, as Oldham Council’s Planning Committee approved planning applications for six key town centre sites.
Oldham Council and Muse are working in partnership over the next 15 years to develop council-owned brownfield sites across the Town Centre. Following endorsement of the Development Framework in November 2024, proposals for six priority sites were worked up and submitted for approval earlier this year. This included Prince’s Gate, the Civic Tower, the Civic Centre, the former Magistrates’ Court, the former Manchester Chambers and the former Leisure Centre.
Yesterday (Wednesday 2nd July 2025), Oldham Council’s Planning Committee approved all six applications, marking a major step forward in the delivery of much needed town centre homes. A special committee meeting was held to ensure all six applications could be deliberated fully by elected members.
These proposals will collectively deliver up to 1,619 new homes through a mix of high-quality and sustainable properties, from one-bedroom to three-bedroom apartments, designed to meet the needs of families, older people, and young professionals in Oldham. The plans also include affordable homes across a range of tenures. The regeneration of these sites will help to create a more vibrant, welcoming and well-used town centre, whilst creating new opportunities for local business and to attract future investment.
The decision comes following a pre-application consultation and engagement on the plans earlier in the year, during which hundreds of people shared their views on the proposals. The feedback has been considered and incorporated into the final plan wherever possible.
Councillor Arooj Shah, Leader of Oldham Council
“This decision marks a key milestone in delivering on our promises for Oldham.
“Oldham Council and Muse have a shared, ambitious vision to create a quality place that people genuinely want to spend time in.
“I am thrilled that we can continue moving forward with our plans – delivering high-quality homes, including the provision of social and affordable homes to meet local needs. We will also support local businesses and create opportunities for everyone, as part of a clean, green and sustainable future.
“Together, we are creating a place that we can all be proud of.”
Alex Vogel, Senior Development Manager at Muse
“On behalf of the whole project team, we are delighted that Oldham Council’s Planning Committee have granted approval to these six planning applications.
“The final plans were shaped and refined over a number of months, listening to community and stakeholder feedback to help create a place for people to live, work and play.
“We are excited to be able to continue pushing forward with the delivery of our plans and to start building much-needed new homes in the town centre for the people of Oldham”.
Site investigation is now complete at the Civic Centre and is due to commence on Prince’s Gate imminently before finishing on the Magistrates’ Court later this year. This consent is a considerable milestone and, combined with the site investigation, allows works to begin on Prince’s Gate in the Autumn.
The project team working alongside Muse and Oldham Council includes CBRE, Turley (Strategic Communications), Planit IE, WSP, Hawkins Brown and Ridge.
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