An Oldham councillor has fears for the future of a historic nuclear bunker due to plans to re-develop the civic centre into homes.

Plans to regenerate the town centre with around 2,000 new homes, as well as new green space, include building 400 to 600 apartments on the current civic centre site.

A nuclear bunker built underneath the site when it was originally developed was listed in 2016 by the Mirror newspaper as one of the best places in the country to survive a nuclear war.

According to the council, the civic centre will be freed up when council staff relocate into the redeveloped Spindles Town Square Shopping Centre.

However, Crompton Lib Dem Cllr Louie Hamblett is worried that the development could damage the borough’s heritage amid ‘current threats of nuclear annihilation’.

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Cllr Hamblett has now written a letter to Emma Barton, the council’s executive director for place and economic growth.

In the letter, he has asked if the development includes the demolition and removal of historic nuclear bunkers.

The Crompton councillor says any demolition would result in a historic and educational loss for the people of Oldham, and points to the Stockport Air Raid Shelters, which are open to the public as local museums.

He has been supported by anti-nuclear group the UK/Ireland Nuclear Free Local Authorities.

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Cllr Hamblett said: “We have a unique opportunity here to create something similar, to use peoples’ living knowledge of the 1960/70s Cold War past, amidst the backdrop of current threats of nuclear annihilation.

“It would be beneficial to people to know how buildings such as the Civic were built with threats from behind the Iron Curtain always in mind.

“I hope that we don’t lose yet another piece of our important history and we can keep hold of this for all to learn from and experience what life was like for those who lived and are in some ways living it.”

­­­­Councillor Arooj Shah, leader of Oldham Council, said: “We appreciate the suggestions that have been raised regarding the future use of this bunker and our officers have been in contact with Cllr Hamblett and the Chair of the English Forum of the UK/Ireland Nuclear Free Local Authorities (NFLAs) on this matter.

“While no plans have been decided on its future as of yet, this will of course be factored into any future decision making as part of our exciting new partnership with multi award-winning nationwide placemaker Muse as we prepare for a once-in-a-generation transformation of our town centre.”