The arrival of Metrolink in January 2014 has been the catalyst for much investment in Oldham, as it’s now more accessible than ever before with Manchester City Centre and Rochdale both accessible in under 30 minutes. The town also has excellent road links with direct access to the M60 and M62. Located on Manchester’s doorstep but with nearly a quarter of the borough in the spectacular Peak District National Park, Oldham enjoys the best of both city and country life, making it a superb place to live and work.
Key Statistics
A strong labour market with a growing, youthful population
The borough’s population is currently 224,900 but is predicted to grow to 241,100 by 2022
Within a 30 minute drive from Oldham town centre the total population is 2.7 million
The age profile population within this 30 minute catchment area is younger than the UK average, providing a long-term sustainable pool of labour
Over a third (37.7%) of the borough’s population are classified as ‘Wealthy Achievers’, ‘Urban Prosperity’ or ‘Comfortably Off’ by CACI’s Acorn consumer classification system
A strong business base
Over 6,000 businesses in Oldham, spanning key sectors including: advanced manufacturing, health, construction, digital and creative and financial and professional services
101,555 registered businesses within a 30 minute drive, Oldham is well placed in the wider business community
Oldham is home to a number of national and international brands and companies including the Trinity Mirror Group, Diodes Incorporated, Ferranti Technologies, Seton Healthcare Ltd, Park Cake Bakeries, Innovative Technologies, Ambassador Textiles, and Nov Mono Pumps
Investing in Oldham’s future
The council is investing £1 million in a comprehensive package of support to help new and existing independent businesses to set up and grow their businesses. To date, 30 new companies have moved in since its creation in 2014, leading to around 200 jobs
The historic Old Town Hall has been sympathetically restored in a £36m investment into a seven screen, 789 seat ODEON cinema in a Grade-II listed landmark building. A new public square – Parliament Square – adjacent to the venue is home to family friendly restaurants and hosts specialist markets, arts and cultural events
£137 million has been invested in three new build academies and existing school buildings. University Campus Oldham and the Regional Science Centre Oldham, the first facility of its type in the country, are other examples of the thriving education offer
The town has a rich sporting heritage and a wealth of new modern leisure facilities, including a spectacular £15 million flagship leisure centre
Quality of life
Oldham offers a fantastic quality of life, centred on its strong cultural heritage, leisure and independent retail offers
The cultural and leisure facilities in Oldham town centre are undergoing substantial regeneration. This has included the opening a new ODEON cinema and restaurant complex and a new leisure centre. Funding is also in place to deliver a new Arts and Heritage Centre and a new Oldham Coliseum Theatre in the Cultural Quarter