A brighter future for Hathershaw and Fitton Hill

12th October 2006

The NDC Spatial Masterplan for the New Deal for Communities area of Hathershaw and Fitton Hill is an ambitious and exciting long-term vision set to transform and modernise the area over the next 10 years.

The plan has been developed by NDC, Oldham Council and the Oldham Rochdale Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder based on what residents said they wanted for the area.

Every resident will receive a special newsletter detailing the preferred option and an invitation to a series of consultation events.

Local people have been at the heart of developing the vision to transform Hathershaw and Fitton Hill. This option has been put together taking into consideration residents’ ideas, comments and concerns from previous consultation sessions in November 2005 and February/March 2006.

The preferred option includes proposals to develop and change the area to make it an exciting and vibrant place, where people will want to live, work and put down roots.  

Some of the proposals over the next five years will include: -

  • Building a mix of quality modern family homes and the development of office accommodation providing a new gateway into the area around the Borough Mill triangle area.  The plan aims to improve standards of homes and create employment and training prospects for local people.  
  • Developing a new Neighbourhood Centre around the Fir Tree Avenue area to improve health and care facilities in the area as well as a range of key local services including:- a new library, a new youth club, a housing office and local shops.
  • Improving the shops on Ashton Road to create two vibrant retail clusters.
  • Transforming the look of the area through developing a network of green space areas.  Opening up the area to make it feel safer and to improve access to green open spaces and parks.
  • New high quality housing for the Fitton Hill estate.
  • The proposals are subject to further funding being agreed.

The preferred option is not set in stone. The partners want to make Hathershaw and Fitton Hill a great place to live and will work closely with residents to get the preferred option right.  

To do this there will be further consultation with residents and a number of sessions will take place on 1st, 2nd, 4th, 6th and 7th November.  In addition, one to one interviews will be available for residents who are directly affected by demolition.

Ian Payne & Mark Birchall, Resident Board Members and Vice Chairs of the NDC Management Board said:

“We are pleased with these proposals which will enable the transformation of Hathershaw and Fitton Hill into a place where people will choose to live and work in the future. It will be a major boost for the whole town. It's real strength is that it was developed from genuine and widespread consultation with local people and makes the most of the public and private sector funding opportunities that will be available.”