Greater Manchester mayor Bev Craig has thrown her support behind plans to create mayoral development corporations (MDCs) covering Oldham, Bolton, Middleton, and Ashton and Stalybridge, aimed at boosting local regeneration and attracting investment.
The proposals have the backing of Oldham, Bolton, Rochdale and Tameside councils, with public consultations in each area receiving positive feedback from residents.
MDCs give mayors enhanced powers to oversee planning and development within designated areas and are seen as a key tool for driving economic growth across the city-region's town centres.
Bev Craig, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said: ‘Mayoral Development Corporations are about how we back local communities and breathe new life into towns across our city region, making them places people can be proud to call home again.
‘People have had their say across Ashton and Stalybridge, Bolton, Middleton, and Oldham, and it’s clear that there is strong support for these plans. It’s our job to show people that this is more than fancy words and old broken promises, this is real action that will lead to real change.’
The Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and the mayor will be asked to endorse the findings of the public consultations at the next GMCA meeting on Friday 25 September. If approved, the mayor will write to the secretary of state to request formal designation of the MDCs, with establishment expected in early 2027.
