Park Bridge Residents’ Action Group & Fund has welcomed progress towards finding a sustainable future for the Park Bridge Heritage Centre, as Tameside Council considers proposals submitted through its recent expressions of interest process.
Since our group was established, bringing the Heritage Centre back into meaningful use has been one of our long-term ambitions.
Our position throughout has been simple: we want to see a sustainable future secured for the building which protects and celebrates Park Bridge’s remarkable heritage while ensuring the local community remains at the heart of its future.
We understand that a number of organisations and businesses have expressed an interest in the Heritage Centre, and we have had positive discussions with a number of those who have put forward a proposal.
We welcome all that share those principles and recognise the importance of this historic building to Park Bridge and the wider area.
Working with The Outdoor Collaborative
Over recent months, we have also held a number of productive conversations and meetings with The Outdoor Collaborative, a Saddleworth-based registered charity, about a potential partnership for the Heritage Centre.
The Outdoor Collaborative was established in 2018 and delivers outdoor learning, creative media, nature-based wellbeing and community programmes for children, young people, families and adults across Greater Manchester and the wider region.
Its work brings together outdoor activity, photography and film, environmental learning and volunteering, working alongside schools, youth organisations, local authorities, community groups and other charities.
Following our discussions, The Outdoor Collaborative has now submitted a formal proposal to acquire the Park Bridge Heritage Centre, restore the building and operate it as a heritage centre and community hub, with Park Bridge Residents’ Action Group & Fund as its proposed community partner.
What could the Heritage Centre become?
The proposal provides an exciting indication of what a reopened Park Bridge Heritage Centre could offer.
At its heart would be the heritage of Park Bridge itself, with exhibitions, archives, oral histories, photography and digital interpretation exploring the area’s industrial, social, natural and archaeological significance.
Alongside this, the plans envisage the Centre being used for:
- community meetings, exhibitions, talks and events
- school, youth and family learning
- outdoor and environmental education
- guided walks and activities exploring the wider Park Bridge landscape
- photography, film and creative workshops
- nature-based wellbeing programmes
- volunteering and skills development
- heritage research and digital archiving.
Importantly for us, the proposal makes a clear commitment that the Heritage Centre would not simply become a closed organisational headquarters.
Spaces within the building would remain available for local meetings, events, exhibitions and activities through an affordable community-use arrangement.
The indicative plans even begin to show how that could work in practice. The ground floor could include a welcome and heritage gallery, flexible community learning and events space, visitor facilities and a creative workshop and media studio. The first floor could provide exhibition and learning space, a heritage archive and collections area, creative studios and meeting or partner workspace.
These ideas remain indicative and would be subject to surveys, consultation, planning, heritage requirements, funding and other necessary approvals.
Protecting the character of the Heritage Centre
The proposal also recognises that bringing the building back into use must be done sensitively.
The Outdoor Collaborative proposes a conservation-led approach, informed by professional assessment of the condition and significance of the building.
Repairs and alterations would seek to retain important historic fabric while improving accessibility and services and allowing the building to support new uses without losing its character.
Local residents would also be involved in identifying stories, collections and priorities for how the history of Park Bridge is interpreted within the Centre.
A partnership with the Park Bridge community
Under The Outdoor Collaborative’s proposal, the charity would lead the acquisition, funding programme and day-to-day management of the Heritage Centre.
Park Bridge Residents’ Action Group & Fund would support local consultation, heritage development, volunteering and community activity, with the working relationship ultimately formalised through a partnership agreement.
For us, this is an important part of the proposal.
The Heritage Centre belongs at the heart of Park Bridge. Whatever its future, we believe the community should have a meaningful voice in shaping how the building is used and how the extraordinary story of Park Bridge is told.
Adam Ward, Chair of Trustees at The Outdoor Collaborative, said: “We are incredibly pleased to be working alongside the Park Bridge community on an opportunity that could secure the long-term future of this important heritage site.
“Park Bridge has a remarkable history and a strong connection with the people and communities around it. For The Outdoor Collaborative, acquiring the Heritage Centre would not simply be about taking ownership of a building; it would be about protecting that heritage, bringing the site back into meaningful use and ensuring it remains a place that local people can access, enjoy and be proud of.
“Our ambition is to work in partnership with the existing community to create a sustainable heritage and community hub, combining the history of Park Bridge with education, outdoor learning, environmental activities, volunteering and opportunities for children, young people and the wider community.
“There is a great deal of work still to be done, but this partnership gives us an opportunity to build on what already makes Park Bridge special and create something that can serve the community for generations to come.”
Residents and visitors at the heart of any plans
Alongside protecting the Heritage Centre and bringing it back into community use, we also have the interests of Park Bridge residents and visitors firmly at the front of our minds.
We know that the potential for increased traffic has previously been raised as a concern, and this must be properly considered as any proposal develops. The narrow roads through Park Bridge are already under significant pressure and present well-documented safety concerns for residents, walkers, cyclists and horse riders.
Any future use of the Heritage Centre therefore needs to be developed sensitively, with careful consideration given to traffic movements, parking, access and the wider impact on the village. Bringing the Heritage Centre back to life should enhance Park Bridge, not create additional problems for the community around it.
What happens next?
The Council’s process remains ongoing and we recognise that other organisations have also submitted proposals for the Heritage Centre.
As a community group, we are supportive of proposals that place the community, heritage and long-term sustainable future of the building at their heart.
At the same time, we have been pleased to work in partnership with The Outdoor Collaborative in developing their proposal and, should they ultimately be successful, we look forward to working closely with them and the wider Park Bridge community to develop the plans further and help bring the Heritage Centre back into meaningful community use.
Their proposal is conditional and there would still be a significant journey ahead, including valuation, surveys, due diligence, consultation, planning and heritage work and, crucially, securing external funding. The charity proposes pursuing major capital funding, including an intended application to the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
There is therefore plenty still to be decided.
But after such a long period of uncertainty surrounding the Heritage Centre, we are encouraged to see serious proposals being put forward for its future.
Whatever happens next, we will continue advocating for a future that protects the heritage of Park Bridge, brings the Heritage Centre back to life and ensures our community remains part of its story.