Oldham Council has secured a £1 million grant to restore the derelict Prudential Assurance Building on Union Street, a Grade II-listed Victorian landmark that has been empty for 15 years.
The building, dating from 1889 and designed by architect Alfred Waterhouse, was added to SAVE Britain's Heritage's at risk list in 2015 and included in the Victorian Society's list of most endangered buildings six years ago. The council used a compulsory purchase order to take on the property in 2024, pledging to bring it back into use.
Neglect and Deterioration
Over the past decade, the building has suffered break-ins, with the adjacent alleyway used for drug use, and incidents of slates and glass falling into the street. Trees and shrubs have sprouted from broken windows and the roof. A council cabinet report described the building as being in a 'significant state of disrepair, attracting anti-social behaviour, presenting health and safety risks, and posing aesthetic issues as a gateway building for those arriving in to or leaving Oldham town centre'.
The grant comes from The Heritage at Risk Capital Fund, delivered by Historic England and funded by the government's Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. It will fund vital works to protect and preserve the building while longer-term plans are developed.
Restoration Plans
Oldham Council has been working with Buttress Architects to design the repurposing of the building, with a series of workspaces potentially created. Required work includes façade restoration, roof replacement, lift restoration, and the creation of a glazed atrium.
A council report stated: "The vision for the Prudential Building will be a revitalised landmark destination for Oldham. Its grand, imposing façade will be reinforced within the townscape, and stand as a catalyst for regeneration of the wider town centre."
James Kington, Oldham Council's Director of Growth, said: "Securing this £1 million investment from Historic England is fantastic news for our community. These essential works will help to protect an important part of our heritage while we continue to explore opportunities for its long-term future."
Part of Wider Regeneration
The project is part of Oldham's overall £500m town centre regeneration scheme, which includes the J R Clynes Building, The Market and The Loom event space in the redeveloped Spindles shopping centre. Union Street has recently been renovated as a result of Metrolink building work, and the former Oldham Town Hall is being redeveloped as a multi-screen cinema and restaurants venue.
The Pru building is one of five across the country to receive grants from the fund. Amy Popham, heritage engagement manager for SAVE, said: "This is brilliant news for these buildings, some of which have been on our Buildings at Risk register for more than a decade despite their importance. Each has so much to offer their community if given the chance. We hope we'll be able to celebrate marking all five as 'saved' in a few years after successful restorations kick-started by these grants."
Louise Brennan, Director of Regions at Historic England, said: "Historic buildings are an important part of what gives places across England their character and identity, and they can be powerful assets for the communities around them. By investing in buildings at risk, we have an opportunity not only to protect important heritage, but to unlock their potential, breathe new life into historic places and showcase what makes communities distinctive."
The building was previously on the market with Eddisons for a guide price of £425,000 plus in 2015, and by November 2018 was for sale with Cousin Homes, Manchester for offers of around £1 million. Planning permission was approved in March 2023 for the building to be reused as offices, with the façade retained and a new roof featuring dormer windows enclosing the central atrium. The council acquired the building under a CPO in 2024 using its own funds and Future High Street Funding.
