The council is rethinking the old shopping centre offer to create a 450,000 sq ft development that will be home to a new market, flexible offices, event space, and heritage archive.

Approval to demolish the former TJ Hughes retail unit has already been granted with enabling works now due to get underway.

A detailed planning application for the main redevelopment will be submitted very soon after input from Willmott Dixon.

Brand-new split-level Tommyfield Market with retail stalls linking to the shopping mall

Subject to planning, main building works are then expected to get underway later this year with the full redevelopment scheduled to complete towards the end of 2023.

Architect AEW has condensed the retail offer in the Spindles area to provide office space above ground floor shops

The shopping centre will remain open throughout the redevelopment.

Both the offices plan and the relocation of Tommyfield Market, are being supported by £24.5m of cash from the government’s Towns Fund.

Councillor Arooj Shah, Oldham Council Leader, said: “I am delighted to announce Willmott Dixon as our construction partner for the redevelopment of Spindles.

“They share our ambition to make Oldham a place we can all be proud of and have committed to putting over £10m back into the community to benefit local people and businesses.”

Spindles new office space on upper mall

Their £10m social value package will help to create 16 local jobs with Willmott Dixon Construction – two of which will go to long-term unemployed residents.

Willmott Dixon has also committed to spending around £8.8m with the local supply chain and around £625k with Oldham’s micro, small and medium enterprises.