Oldham, UNITED KINGDOM

Partnername	Location
Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council	Country	United Kingdom
	Region	Greater Manchester
	City	Oldham

PHASE 1 Identification & selection of the Moston Brook Corridor

The Metropolitan Borough of Oldham is located in a sub-region of the Greater Manchester conurbation in the North West region of England. Greater Manchester has a population of 2.5 million within which Oldham has a population of 219.500. Oldham is culturally diverse, rich in industrial heritage, and vibrant, but its best keep secret is its countryside and greenspace of the rural east.

The Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority (GMWDA) is responsible for managing and disposing of the waste produced by local residents in the area covered by the Metropolitan Districts of Oldham. The GMDA is also responsible for the aftercare of 23 former landfill sites in the ownership or under the control of the Authority.

Landfill sites in the region are the legacy of 19th and 20th Century industrial development following the Industrial Revolution. Local arisings from historic contaminative activities were sent to non-engineered landfill sites. In Oldham some 430 former landfill sites are identified, monitored and recorded. Old landfill sites can be redeveloped in Oldham whitin national funding and statutory (planning guidance) constraints and only where economic viability can be demonstrated.

Site selection and identification of the Moston Brook Corridor

The identification and selection of former landfill sites with redevelopment potential is the first step in reclaiming them as an environmental, recreational and community resource. Characterised sites can then be prioritised in terms of the potential for environmental enhancements, community benefits and commercial gain.

Reflecting SufalNet's feasibility assesment Oldham Council selected a site or rather a corridor of sites from amongst its 430 identified landfills sites, know as the Moston Brook Corridor.

This site selection is based on a mixture of environmental, social and derelict issues such as:

it contains 2 former closed landfill sites managed by GMWDA and Oldham Council;
it has the worst levels of water quality due in part to the leachate coming from these landfills;
the local communities have an active desire to see the corridor improved for the benefit of visitors and residents alike;
the restoration of 71 hectares of derelict land, some of which is former landfill, would transform the image of the area;
the site suffers from 'anti-social behaviour' such as the misuse of off-road motor bikes;
the site is of biological importance and is located between a number of key regeneration sites and developments;
it has been selected by the Newlands programme for Regenation funding.

Stakeholders

In the action planning process there will be stakeholder involvement from the Regional Office of the UK Environment Agency, the GMWDA, the Sports Turf Research Institute and the Managing Authority of the EU Structural Funds which is the North West Regional Development Agency (NWDA). Furthermore all local stakeholders grouped as the Moston Brook Partnership will be involved.

The next steps in the action planning process are:

to investigate the landuse planning by site investigation, design and site planning;
to develop the stakeholder involvement;
to secure funding to implement proposals;
to develop Strategic Spatial Planning by planning green infra-structure;
and to consult on the draft Moston Brook corridor plans as shown in the masterplan.