From old railways to an oasis of art, food and nature: how an eco-park was born in Greater Manchester

Mary-Ellen McTague, a chef, food writer and restaurateur, has a leading role in shaping the food offer at Northern Roots. Photograph: Darren Robinson Photography Mary-Ellen McTague, a chef, food writer and restaurateur, has a leading role in shaping the food offer at Northern Roots. Photograph: Darren Robinson Photography Access to green space From old railways to an oasis of art, food and nature: how an eco-park was born in Greater Manchester Northern Roots is launching Britain’s biggest urban farm and eco-park, in an effort to boost people’s health and wellbeing

Prefer the Guardian on Google Standing in the open green space of Northern Roots, it is hard to imagine the landscape as it once was.

Two cotton mills, two coalmines and an industrial railway once occupied this 65-hectare (160-acre) site in Oldham, Greater Manchester . Later, about 24 hectares became a tip, with much of the space left to nature.