Northern Roots green space opens in Oldham, welcoming first visitors

On 21 September the inaugural section of Northern Roots welcomed thousands of visitors to a newly created 160-acre green space on land adjoining Alexandra Park.

The site, a joint effort by the Northern Roots charity and Oldham Council, now features a Welcome Building, a café, a Forestry Skills Centre, an Urban Farm and an expanding network of trails, orchards, woodland and wetlands.

Families enjoyed a dedicated outdoor play area equipped with a sandpit, climbing frames and water play, while a programme of free entertainment included face painting, outdoor games, live music, a bubble performer, a unicyclist and stilt walkers moving through the grounds.

Guests also explored Snipe Clough Farm, a four-acre working urban farm, and took part in making wildflower seed bombs under the guidance of volunteers.

Café and community spaces

The on-site café offers a farm-to-fork menu developed with chef Mary-Ellen McTague, using fresh ingredients sourced directly from the farm. In addition to dining, the development provides dedicated areas for school visits, community events, meetings, exhibitions and performances, reflecting five years of planning and construction.

Future ambitions and environmental goals

Northern Roots aims to attract 300,000 visitors each year by 2030. Environmental objectives include boosting wildlife habitats by a quarter, generating clean renewable energy and sequestering 30,000 tonnes of carbon by 2050.

Northern Roots Chief Executive Anna da Silva added that the project demonstrates how investment in nature can act as essential social infrastructure, supporting health, biodiversity, local businesses and community ties.

The attraction will operate daily from Thursday to Sunday, 09:00 to 16:00, beginning on 24 September.