Failsworth Town Centre
Failsworth Town Centre is starting to take shape….
The redevelopment of Failsworth Town Centre is taking shape and the area is in a period of rapid change.
The opportunity to regenerate Failsworth Town Centre was originally kick-started by the award of Millennium Commission grant, which funded the refurbishment of the Rochdale Canal between Halifax and Manchester. This resulted in the demolition of the old Co-op store and the creation of a cleared site, suitable for development. The Council's development partner, OPP Ltd, had been seeking to attract a food store operator to the site. In March 2006 Tesco stores signed a contract with OPP Ltd for an 88,000 square foot Tesco food store on the site, a petrol filling station and a car park for approximately 550 cars.
Construction of the new Tesco store is now on site with an estimated completion and store opening in summer 2007. The construction works include all the land as well as landscaping up to the bank of the recently reconstructed Rochdale Canal and will bring the total investment in Failsworth Town Centre to over £30 million with still more to come.
Development in the last few years has also included a new primary health centre and canal side apartments.
The high demand for the new apartments shows a growing and healthy housing market, benefiting from connections to Manchester City Centre, Oldham Town Centre and the M60. Failsworth will also benefit from its proximity to the Hollinwood Business District, which has plans over the next years to create an office district and hotel.
Improvements to the Failsworth Pole have recently been completed with funding from Housing Market Renewal and European Regional Development Funding (ERDF).
Next phase of development
The Council is now working with OPP Ltd on the next stage of the redevelopment of the Town Centre, which aims to include a new purpose built community centre to replace the existing centre and a mixed development of housing and shops.
The Council has made a commitment to existing shops and the community centre that they will be able to continue operating throughout this period.
Jobs for local people
Tesco’s commitment to the redevelopment is a vital part of completing the jigsaw at Failsworth. Local residents are also benefiting from an employment scheme, set up by the Oldham Partnership, which ensures that local unemployed people will get jobs in the new store following an in-depth training period.
The Government Department of Communities and Local Government has a special interest in the success of the scheme, as it is keen to monitor the impact of the regeneration of the Town Centre not only in terms of other investment but also in the boost to local employment.
Public Consultation
Failsworth people and businesses will be given opportunities to find out more about options and proposals for the area in the next few months. These opportunities will be publicised through the local press and this website.
For more information on activity in the Failsworth Town Centre please telephone the Regeneration Directorate on 0161 770 4975 or email regeneration@oldham.gov.uk