Hathershaw and Fitton Hill
Housing Market Renewal and the New Deal for Communities programme are working together to make big improvements to Hathershaw and Fitton Hill, to the south of Oldham town centre.
In 2006 a ‘spatial masterplan’ was created to outline what could be achieved in these neighbourhoods, which many local residents have already taken the opportunity to comment upon. Oldham Council will approve the Masterplan early in 2007 and a developer will be sought to start making the proposals a reality.
Hathershaw and Fitton Hill includes areas of poor housing, with a limited mix of house types and sizes, and blight caused by vacant and derelict dwellings. The retail facilities are of generally poor quality with a particularly limited offer at Fitton Hill. Some industrial premises are underused and the mill complexes centred on Maple Mills run through the area cutting the two halves of the community off from one another.
Dramatic improvements to the choice of homes available at Fitton Hill could be made through redevelopment near to Hill Farm Close. Some homes have already been demolished and the land released has created an extensive area for the development of new modern housing.
A new neighbourhood centre at the heart of Fitton Hill could be created to replace existing retail premises and vacant land. The new centre would provide the opportunity to develop new community and retail facilities.
Revamping the ‘Borough Mill triangle’ between Ashton Road, Copsterhill Road and Schofield Street is another key proposal within the Masterplan. This gateway site provides potential to bring great benefits for the local area through the construction of a high quality development, combining a mix of modern office and retail uses with around 300 new homes. A development brief has recently been published to guide the future use of this site.