Oldham’s 160-Acre Northern Roots Eco-Park Opening Date Confirmed
Oldham’s new 160-acre urban farm and eco-park, Northern Roots, is due to open to the public on Saturday 19 September 2026. The attraction occupies land next to Alexandra Park and combines food growing, nature, learning and community facilities.
The opening is intended for the general public, including families, while the site’s flexible spaces and educational facilities will also serve schools and community groups. Oldham Council’s announcement does not specify an opening time, admission price or whether advance booking will be required, so visitors should check the latest information from the council or Northern Roots charity before travelling.
When and where Northern Roots is opening
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Opening date | Saturday 19 September 2026 |
| Venue | Northern Roots, land next to Alexandra Park, Oldham |
| Opening time | Not stated in the council announcement |
| Admission and booking | No price or booking arrangements have been announced in the source |
| Likely audience | General visitors, families, schools and community groups |
The project has been five years in the making and is being delivered through a partnership between Oldham Council and the Northern Roots charity. Ahead of the September opening, the council has taken formal handover of the Welcome Building and Forestry Skills Centre from contractor Willmott Dixon.
What visitors will find on the 160-acre site
The Welcome Building will act as the main visitor hub, with a café, shop and production kitchen. It also contains two flexible spaces intended for school visits, community events, meetings, exhibitions and performances.
Food will be part of the experience rather than simply an add-on. Northern Roots is being developed as a farm-to-fork destination, allowing visitors to see fruit, vegetables and herbs grown on the site before produce is prepared for service. Manchester chef, food writer and restaurateur Mary-Ellen McTague has joined as chef partner and will lead menu development while supporting recruitment for key café roles.
Families can expect a dedicated outdoor play area. Across the wider site, plans include an expanding network of accessible green spaces, orchards, community gardens, food-growing areas and nature-rich landscapes. The Forestry Skills Centre will support training connected with landscape management and sustainable crop growing.
Northern Roots also plans a year-round programme of events, volunteering, educational activities and wellbeing initiatives. Specific activities and timings for opening day were not included in the council’s announcement, so visitors should not assume that every future programme or facility will be operating on 19 September.
The wider purpose behind the visitor attraction
Northern Roots is designed to support local health, employment, training and enterprise as well as provide a new place to visit. By 2030, the organisers aim to welcome up to 300,000 visitors a year, host 4,500 annual school visits and deliver more than 300 nature-based health prescriptions each year.
The project plans to create 150 volunteering placements, support up to 40 new businesses and help generate between 60 and 80 jobs. Environmental work includes new woodland and wetland habitat, renewable energy generation and carbon storage.
Anyone planning to attend the September opening should confirm the start time, entry arrangements and opening-day programme nearer the date through updates from Oldham Council or the Northern Roots charity. The only location detail currently provided is that the site is on land next to Alexandra Park in Oldham; no specific transport, parking or detailed access instructions were included in the source announcement.
Source: Oldham Council News
Context & actions About this article
Source check Verified Local News
The details regarding the opening date and facilities were verified against the official Oldham Council project handover announcement.
- Confirmed opening date of 19 September 2026
- Verified partnership between Oldham Council and Northern Roots charity
- Confirmed site location adjacent to Alexandra Park
- Source
- Oldham Council News
- Scope
- Oldham
- Updated
- 2026-07-21 09:43
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