Location (Gregge Street, Oldham, OL10 2HD)

AMBITIOUS plans to shake off an area’s ‘mill town’ image and appeal to a younger generation have been revealed.
Almost 300 flats and houses will be demolished to transform Heywood’s landscape.
More than 1,000 new homes are planned as well as retail units, a new market, new community buildings, opening up green spaces and a relief road to take motorway traffic away from the town.
The 10-15 year plan have been developed since May 2006 as part of a joint partnership plan, Sustainable Urban Neighbourhoods (SUN). The steering group, of community representatives like resident directors, councillors and Heywood
Housing Partnership board, know the plans may be unsettling for those whose properties could be demolished but re-iterated that nothing is set in stone.
Chairman of the SUN steering group Malcolm Olive said: “We hope that the community agrees the need for some radical changes, which won’t be easy for those affected by the proposals.
However, the steering group recognises this and realises these proposals are needed if Heywood is to develop and grow into a sustainable community for the current and future residents of Heywood.”
The draft plans, developed on behalf of Heywood Housing Partnership, Heywood
Township, Rochdale Development Agency, Rochdale Boroughwide Housing and Rochdale Council, are just the beginning of a long process.
Township chairman, Councillor Colin Lambert, said: “The SUN plan is a vision in itself and I hope that as many people as possible will get involved in developing it.”