LOCALS are invited to help shape the vision for a new urban farm and eco-park in Oldham.
Northern Roots has unveiled its initial masterplan for the 160-acre site in an interactive map and is inviting residents and local communities to meet the project team, get involved and have their say.
The site, at Snipe Clough, runs from the Grade Two listed Alexandra Park, past Park Bridge and down to Daisy Nook country park.
An online digital map allows residents to move around the site virtually and comment on the design ideas and the proposals for each area.
Northern Roots aims to create the UK’s largest urban farm and eco-park on under-used green space, five minutes from Oldham town centre, creating sustainable economic, social and environmental benefits.
Proposals include a visitor centre, learning centre, market garden, swimming pond and a bike hub and trails facility.
The project aims to:
- Develop a range of new facilities and activities to create a unique new community asset and visitor destination.
- Create jobs, training and business opportunities for local people.
- Stimulate the local economy and attract increased visitor numbers to the wider borough.
- Improve the health and wellbeing of local residents and communities.
- Protect and enhance the habitat, biodiversity and environmental value of the 160-acre Northern Roots site.
Northern Roots is hosting two public consultation events in September so residents can meet the team, discuss the plans and share ideas and concerns.
Saturday, September 4: 11am to 3pm at Spindles Town Square Shopping Centre, Oldham. Northern Roots will be located outside Debenhams.
Thursday, September 16: 3pm to 7.30pm at Alexandra Park Depot, 5 Kings Rd, Oldham, OL8 2AX.
The Northern Roots team will be running a number of bookable Northern Roots site tours this autumn. The site tours are an opportunity for residents to meet the team, walk the site and discuss the proposed plans in situ.
At this stage in the consultation process, none of the proposals are fixed and Northern Roots want to hear from as many residents and local communities as possible.
Residents’ feedback is crucial to revising and updating the proposed masterplan. Ideas, suggestions and concerns will directly feed into the next iteration of the masterplan.
This will then be shared with the public for further consultation and feedback over this autumn. On the basis of that round of consultation, the final masterplan will then be developed for inclusion in the planning application for Northern Roots.
Northern Roots is one of four projects put forward by Oldham to successfully receive funding from the government’s Towns Fund. Oldham has been awarded a total of £24.4 million to support the four projects.
Find out more and view the digital map online: https://northern-roots.uk/get-involved/masterplan-consultation/