Development of £70m SportsTown 'key phase' approved

On Wednesday (April 15), members of Oldham Council's planning committee met to discuss an application covering a number of developments as part of the SportsTown project.

SportsTown is a £70m project based around the Oldham Athletic stadium which will look to develop sports facilities in the borough, along with creating education opportunities to help people gain qualifications while on a sports pathway.

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Now, developments such as the new netball courts, changing rooms, and a footpath can take place after the proposal was approved.

The courts would be developed on currently unused land and would have surrounding fencing, with the local netball community, including Oldham Netball Club, expressing "strong enthusiasm" for the development, according to a planning statement.

The highlighted area is set for a number of developments (Image: Roman Summer Associates Ltd)

Along with the courts, new changing rooms will be built nearby, along with terraced seating for Little Wembley, a 'Bee Way' footpath running through the main car park north of Boundary Park to provide safe access for pedestrians and the erection of a nine-metre tall art installation of an industrial wheel surrounding an embryo topped with an owl.

Speaking at the meeting, the applicant's agent Richard Gee told committee members: "This proposal is not just about sport, albeit it will bring much needed sports facilities - it's about health, it's about young people, creating pathways and skills and opportunities that nurture and develop talent in Oldham.

The giant embryo outside Boundary Park was unveiled last year (Image: LDR)

"And it's about regeneration, so transforming what's currently an unused, unattractive brownfield site, into a genuine community asset."

Cllr Marc Hince, leader of the planning committee, said "on the face of it, it's a fantastic development" but raised a concern with Mr Gee of the applicant breaching planning conditions.

The embryo art installation, Cllr Hince said, had been erected before planning permission was given and the recently completed Little Wembley was already in use, despite acoustic fencing not being installed yet, with the councillor saying this "develops a lack of trust for residents".

Mr Gee said the Little Wembley pitch has been used "for about three weeks" by Oldham Athletic without acoustic fencing being installed, with the agent saying the applicant had been "let down" by a supplier and that he had been "assured" the fencing will be in place "in the next three to four weeks".

Committee members voted in favour of approving the application by majority.