National recognition for Spindles at the BCO Awards

Oldham Council’s Spindles redevelopment has received national recognition at the British Council for Offices (BCO) Awards - being named Highly Commended in the Innovation category.

The BCO Awards celebrate the best examples of office design and redevelopment across the UK.  Earlier this year Spindles won the regional Northern Innovation Award, and following this was submitted for the national awards where it was up against four other UK regions.  

Spindles was one of only four entries that received a Highly Commended Award, making this a proud moment for Oldham’s on-going regeneration work. 

The building impressed the national judging panel for its creative transformation and evolution of the current shopping centre into modern, flexible work spaces and community hub provision.

The redevelopment has already brought many positives to the town, with organisational offices located side-by-side with local shops, helping to drive increased footfall and sales. 

In addition, a co-working space called The Hive has been launched, allowing local businesses and entrepreneurs to work together in the space as like-minded people to drive vibrancy and growth of the town centre in the heart of Oldham. 

Cllr Arooj Shah, Leader of Oldham Council, said: “This is a huge win for Oldham and everyone involved in the Spindles redevelopment.  We are proud of what this project has delivered to local people through apprenticeships and work experience and to be recognised on the national stage shows the real quality and ambition behind this project.  

“Being highly commended in a UK-wide competition puts Oldham among the very best. It’s a proud moment for our town and people, and proof that the confidence we have in Oldham’s future is being shared nationally.” 

Pictured: The awards ceremony was attended by many as it got underway.

The Spindles redevelopment has delivered over 270 weeks of apprenticeship training and 117 weeks of work experience for local people. 

In addition, Spindles has also already been awarded a regional highly commended accolade in the LABC Building Excellence Awards this year, adding to its already impressive trophy collection! 

Michael Poole-Sutherland, North West Director at Willmott Dixon said: “As a company rooted in Oldham, we’re thrilled to be playing our part in helping to shape our town centre’s exciting future, in partnership with Oldham Council. 

“This national recognition is a real tribute to the passion and collaboration of the local business community driving innovation and change right here in Oldham.” 

Phil Hepworth, Director at AEW said: “The vision for the project was to breathe new life into the shopping centre through adaptive reuse and consolidation of retail space into workspace, but its impact on Oldham is bigger than this. 

“The project provides a series of unique work environments of a scale not achievable in new build and provides fit for purpose modern environments that promote and encourage modern ways of working through a variety of work settings and meeting spaces. The project is part of a larger puzzle of regeneration in Oldham of which we are very proud to have been part of”. 

The redevelopment was delivered in partnership with construction company Willmott Dixon, architects AEW, project managers Hive, quantity surveyors Gleeds and interior designers SpaceInvader.