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, offices and event space, and heritage archive.

Enabling works include stripping out the former TJ Hughes unit – ahead of the store’s demolition to make way for a brand new Tommyfield Market and events space.

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

Cllr Amanda Chadderton, Oldham Council Leader, said: “This is an exciting milestone in the project and you will soon start to see lots of changes taking place as we reshape the building for the future.

“The centre remains open as normal throughout the redevelopment, and we will keep disruption to a minimum.”

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

In addition to the works taking place inside Town Square and on Parliament Square, works will start to support the development of the new offices and co-working space on the upper mall of Spindles.

Spindles new office space on upper mall

To allow new windows to be installed in the workspaces and other major changes required to redevelop the building, a site will need to be set up on George Square this month.

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.