Northern Roots: Turning a Former Industrial Site into a Health‑Boosting Urban Eco‑Park

Standing on the newly‑opened Northern Roots eco‑park in Oldham, the first thing most visitors notice is the sheer scale – 65 hectares of meadow, woodland and cultivated beds where cotton mills and coal mines once stood. The launch on 19 September marks the birth of Britain’s largest urban farm and a concrete example of how green space can be treated as public infrastructure, a notion that could reshape health and community policy across the UK.

From derelict railways to a community asset

The site’s history reads like a micro‑history of the industrial north: two cotton mills, two coal mines and a railway line dominated the landscape until the late‑20th century. After the factories closed, about 24 hectares became a landfill, while the remainder lay fallow. Over the past five years, the charity Northern Roots, in partnership with Oldham Council, has cleared, re‑contoured and planted the land, creating a mix of open fields, forest‑skill areas, a café, a performance space and a working farm.

Oldham Council’s original aim was to see green space as an asset rather than a maintenance burden. That shift in mindset is central to the project’s philosophy: if land can support health, employment and learning, it becomes a piece of critical infrastructure alongside hospitals and schools.

How the Natural Health Service works

Northern Roots’ flagship health offering is the Natural Health Service (NHS) – not to be confused with the National Health Service – a social‑prescribing pathway commissioned by NHS England in 2023. Rather than focusing on physical activity alone, the NHS encourages "intentional connection with nature". A typical session may involve:

• Foraging walks – identifying edible wild plants and learning safe collection methods.
• Bushcraft skills – building simple shelters or learning fire‑making techniques.
• Creative making – crafting objects from twigs, leaves or reclaimed timber.
• Sensory grounding – guided attention to sounds, smells and textures in the environment.

The underlying mechanism is simple: exposure to non‑clinical, biodiverse settings reduces stress‑related hormones, lowers blood pressure and promotes a slower, more reflective mental state. When participants step away from the clinic’s white walls, the brain’s threat‑detection system relaxes, allowing the parasympathetic nervous system to dominate. This physiological shift is what many studies label "restorative exposure" and is the basis for the wellbeing gains reported.

What the evidence says

Independent NHS research published in 2025 evaluated the pilot that ran with patients from Hill Top GP surgery in Fitton Hill. Participants completed the Short Warwick‑Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (SWEMWBS) before and after a six‑month series of NHS sessions. On average, scores rose by 8.15 points, a change that exceeds the scale’s threshold for a clinically meaningful improvement. The same analysis estimated a £4,940 social‑value return per participant, factoring in reduced GP appointments, lower medication use and improved productivity.

These figures sit alongside anecdotal reports: "People who hadn’t been outside for years left smiling and booked the next session," notes one programme guardian. While numbers provide a useful benchmark, the qualitative shift – a sense of belonging and confidence to spend time outdoors – is harder to capture but equally important for long‑term health.

How Northern Roots compares with other green‑prescribing models

*All figures are averages from published UK studies; they are not directly comparable due to differing sample sizes and follow‑up periods.

The table highlights that Northern Roots offers a broader, more immersive experience than standard gardening or walking prescriptions. The higher per‑person cost reflects specialised staff, a wider range of activities and the need to maintain a large, biodiverse site. For local authorities with limited budgets, the decision may hinge on whether the added wellbeing boost justifies the extra spend.

Who stands to gain – and who may be left behind?

Primary beneficiaries

• Residents of Oldham’s historically divided neighbourhoods – the park sits between two communities, providing a neutral meeting ground that can bridge social divides.
• People with mild to moderate mental‑health challenges – the NHS pilot shows measurable improvement for participants who struggle with anxiety or depression.
• Local employers and the wider economy – improved wellbeing can translate into lower absenteeism and higher productivity, while the park creates jobs in horticulture, hospitality and education.

Potentially excluded groups

• Individuals with severe mobility impairments – while pathways are wheelchair‑friendly, some forest‑skill activities may be inaccessible without additional adaptations.
• People living far from Oldham – the park aims for 300 000 visitors a year, but travel cost and time could limit reach for those outside Greater Manchester.
• Funding‑dependent services – the model relies on NHS England commissioning; any change in budget priorities could jeopardise the programme’s continuity.

In practice, the charity mitigates some barriers through outreach buses, free entry and targeted transport vouchers, but the scale of those interventions remains modest.

What could go wrong or remains uncertain

The source leaves several questions unanswered. First, the long‑term sustainability of the site’s funding model is unclear. While the pilot generated £4 940 social value per participant, the actual cash flow needed to maintain 65 ha of mixed habitats, staff and facilities may exceed current NHS commissioning budgets. Second, the environmental impact of high visitor numbers (target 300 000 per year) could stress fragile habitats unless robust visitor‑management plans are implemented.

A further risk concerns equity of access. If transport subsidies are insufficient, the park could become a leisure space for those already able to travel, reinforcing rather than reducing health inequalities. Finally, the evidence base, though promising, is still limited to a single pilot cohort. Replication in other cities, with different demographics and climate conditions, will be needed to confirm that the observed wellbeing gains are not context‑specific.

What to watch next

The next few years will test whether Northern Roots can persuade commissioners to treat green space as "critical infrastructure". Key indicators to follow include:

• Funding commitments from NHS England beyond the pilot phase.
• Visitor data showing whether the target of 300 000 annual visits is met without degrading habitat quality.
• Replication attempts in other UK towns – early adopters could provide comparative data on cost‑effectiveness.
• Policy shifts at the local government level, such as inclusion of green‑space budgets in the same line items as schools or hospitals.

If these developments align, Northern Roots could become a template for turning under‑used industrial land into community health assets across the country.

How you can get involved this week

• Visit a local green space – even a small park can provide a restorative break. Aim for a 10‑minute walk, focusing on breathing and noticing sounds.
• Ask your GP about social prescribing – if you experience stress or low mood, request a referral to a nature‑based programme.
• Support a community garden – volunteer for a few hours; the hands‑on experience complements more immersive projects like Northern Roots.

Taking a single step this week can start the habit of regular nature contact, which the evidence suggests improves mental wellbeing.

Sources

• The Guardian – From old railways to an oasis of art, food and nature: how an eco‑park was born in Greater Manchester