Greater Manchester has set out plans to establish new Mayoral Development Corporations (MDCs) in Bolton, Oldham and Ashton and Stalybridge as part of a wider push to accelerate regeneration, deliver new homes and attract investment across the city region.
The proposed MDCs would act as statutory development bodies with powers over planning, land assembly and infrastructure, bringing public and private partners together to unlock complex sites and speed up delivery.
They are designed to provide a single point of entry for investors and long-term certainty for development partners.
The plans build on the established MDC model already operating in Stockport, Old Trafford and Atom Valley, with further proposals under way in Middleton.
REGENERATION SCHEMES
Greater Manchester’s Good Growth Fund is also supporting major regeneration schemes in Salford and Oldham, reinforcing the region’s focus on place-based growth.
Stockport’s MDC, launched in 2019, is already delivering 2,700 new homes, £600m of private investment and new commercial space, alongside major infrastructure projects such as the Stockport Interchange.
More recently, the Old Trafford Regeneration MDC was formally established to deliver a large-scale sports-led regeneration scheme, including new homes, jobs and a major stadium development.
In Bolton, the proposed MDC would support regeneration at Church Wharf, Crompton Place and Trinity Quarter, alongside development at the NorthFold Growth Location. In Oldham, the MDC would help drive the £70m SportsTown masterplan around Boundary Park, creating a multi-sport centre of excellence while supporting wider town centre regeneration.
In Tameside, an Ashton and Stalybridge MDC would focus on transport-led regeneration, delivering at least 3,000 new homes and making use of publicly owned land linked to the Bee Network.
FASTEST GROWING ECONOMY
Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham says the plans were aimed at spreading growth more evenly across the city region.
He adds: “Over the past decade, Greater Manchester has been the fastest growing economy in the UK – but we know that growth has not been felt equally in all parts of our city region.
“Our number one priority is to deliver a new decade of good growth that lifts all of our places. That’s why we’re backing Bolton, Oldham, and Tameside with plans for new Mayoral Development Corporations – so they can remove barriers to development and bring forward new homes, jobs, and community assets for generations to come.”
