Oldham Council and the team behind the ‘ground-breaking’ Spindles renovation have been presented with the British Council of Offices’ (BCO) northern Innovation Award.
The presentation in the new office space saw representatives from construction company Willmott Dixon, architects AEW, project management lead Hive, quantity surveyor Gleeds, and interior designers SpaceInvader, present the trophy to Leader of Oldham Council Cllr Arooj Shah, and Chief Executive Shelley Kipling.
Recognised as a benchmark for innovation in reimagining town centre spaces, when Spindles is officially fully open, the 450,000 square foot development will also be home to a new indoor market and food hall, flexible offices, event space and heritage archive.
BCO judges recognised the building’s ‘ground-breaking, adaptive reuse of a building that has transformed a struggling 1990s shopping centre’.
They commented: “Oldham Spindles is an innovative project that reimagines urban regeneration, proving that underutilised retail spaces can be repurposed for modern office environments.
“It sets a bold precedent for repurposing failing retail assets into thriving workspaces. A combination of architectural ingenuity, sustainability, and social impact makes it a worthy recipient of the BCO Innovation Award, showcasing a transformative model for urban regeneration.”
Cllr Arooj Shah, Leader of Oldham Council, said: “This recognition for Spindles is a huge moment of pride for Oldham. The Spindles redevelopment is just one part of our wider regeneration Building a Better Oldham programme, including the creation of 2,000 new homes, the restoration of the Old Library building, Oldham Coliseum, and the groundbreaking Northern Roots project.
“Oldham is a town on the up and our time is now, investing in our existing buildings while creating modern spaces that will increase jobs, and drive people into the town centre. This award belongs to the whole town, and it shows the confidence others are starting to share in Oldham’s future.”
