PLANS have been lodged to convert part of the former Oldham Evening Chronicle building on Union Street into a restaurant and takeaway.
The application, validated on September 12, proposes to change the use of the snooker lounge reception area of the building from class E(d) to a mix of restaurant and takeaway, classed as sui generis.
An extraction flue would also be added to the side of the building to allow for cooking facilities.
The Chronicle building has stood empty for several years and is one of Union Street’s most recognisable vacant properties.
Once home to the newsroom and printing presses of the Oldham Evening Chronicle, the offices were vacated in 2017 when the newspaper ceased publication and almost all staff were made redundant after the company entered administration.
The building, which also includes a single-storey extension that housed the presses, was sold at auction the following year for around £400,000.
Spread across four floors with a large printing hall at the rear and a car park with space for up to 30 vehicles, the site has been the subject of a number of redevelopment ideas since it fell out of daily use.
In 2021, a proposal was put forward to convert the building into 40 apartments, complete with additional floors and new commercial space at street level, although that scheme was later withdrawn.
More recently, planning permission was granted for a snooker hall to occupy part of the premises, with late-night opening hours from midday until 2am.
The latest proposal for food use signals another attempt to bring life back into a building which once played a central role in Oldham’s daily life. Its future has long been a topic of debate, with hopes that redevelopment could help boost activity and footfall along Union Street.
The planning application, reference FUL/354344/25, is now under consideration by Oldham Council.
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