Case Study
Spindles
Location:
Oldham
Project type:
town centre redevelopment
Project value:
£67 million
Client:
Wilmott Dixon
Completion:
2026
Project overview
Working alongside Willmott Dixon Construction and AEW Architects, JPS provided civil and structural engineering design services for a major town-centre regeneration project in Oldham. The development comprised the conversion of two floors of the Spindles Shopping Mall into “Workspace”, a modern office environment for Oldham Council, the demolition of the former TJ Hughes building to make way for a new four-storey events space and archive facility, and the comprehensive refurbishment of adjacent mall accommodation to relocate Tommyfield Market into the heart of the town. The project required a combination of complex structural alterations, new-build construction and extensive coordination across multiple disciplines to successfully transform existing retail space into a vibrant mixed-use civic destination.
The engineering challenge
The scheme presented several challenges, including:
- Delivering significant structural alterations within an existing shopping centre while maintaining the integrity of the surrounding structure.
- Designing support solutions to facilitate the removal of existing floor slabs and the infilling of historic structural voids.
- Coordinating the integration of new office accommodation within a building originally designed for retail use.
- Designing new-build structures, retaining elements and foundation systems on a constrained town-centre site.
- Managing the interface between multiple project elements, including office conversion, market refurbishment and the construction of a new events and archive facility.
- Achieving seamless coordination between architectural, structural and building services designs across a complex redevelopment programme.
The engineering solution
JPS was responsible for:
- Providing full civil and structural engineering design across all elements of the redevelopment.
- Designing internal supporting steelwork to allow the safe removal of existing slabs and accommodate the reconfiguration of the existing building structure.
- Developing structural solutions to infill previous structural voids and create functional, flexible spaces for the new uses.
- Designing curtain walling support structures for the Workspace offices to support the architectural vision of the development.
- Delivering the design of retaining structures, piled foundations and a four-storey steel frame with concrete composite floors for the new market, events and archive building.
- Undertaking comprehensive 3D coordination and clash detection throughout the design process to identify potential conflicts and ensure efficient integration between all disciplines.
- Collaborating closely with Willmott Dixon Construction and AEW Architects to develop practical, coordinated and buildable engineering solutions.
The outcome
- A successful town-centre regeneration project that transformed underutilised retail space into modern civic, commercial and community facilities.
- New high-quality office accommodation for Oldham Council delivered within the existing Spindles Shopping Mall.
- A purpose-built four-storey events and archive facility providing valuable cultural and community infrastructure.
- The successful relocation of Tommyfield Market into a refurbished town-centre location, helping strengthen the local retail offer.
- Efficient structural solutions that enabled extensive building alterations while maintaining safety and functionality.
- A fully coordinated design delivered through advanced 3D modelling and clash detection, supporting smooth project delivery and reducing construction risk.
