Purpose

The designation of a Mayoral Development Corporation for Middleton is considered expedient for furthering economic development and regeneration in the area. Middleton has been identified as a key location for regeneration, with the proposed MDC intended to support the delivery of transformative projects, improve the economic profile of the town centre, create jobs, improve infrastructure and align economic benefits and opportunities with wider growth ambitions, including links to the Northern Gateway Atom Valley MDC.
The Middleton MDC is proposed to focus on bringing forward new development and support the delivery of around 1,500 new homes (including affordable homes), enhancing the towns offer for commercial and leisure uses whilst improving public spaces.
This will bring visible improvements to Middleton, while helping local people benefit from new jobs, better services and a stronger sense of community-driven with co-operative principles in mind.
Following a public consultation that closed 7th July 2026, a number of recurring themes were identified, including concerns about the scale of proposed housing development and the potential impact on local infrastructure and services. Some respondents also suggested amendments to the proposed boundary, either by expanding it to include additional areas such as Rhodes and Langley or by reducing its extent to focus more closely on the town centre. Others highlighted the importance of protecting green spaces and ensuring local communities are involved in decision-making. These views have been carefully considered as part of the process.
After careful review, it is considered that these concerns do not outweigh the significant benefits that the MDC can bring. Consultation responses demonstrated very strong support for the creation of the MDC, with 91.41% of respondents in favor and many highlighting the opportunity to accelerate regeneration, attract investment and improve Middleton town centre. While some consultees advocated for amendments to the boundary, the proposed geography has been designed to focus investment and delivery on the areas where it can have the greatest transformational impact. Through embedding co-operative principles, the impact of the MDC will be felt beyond the MDC boundary. The proposed approach will continue to support growth while ensuring that local communities remain involved in shaping the future development of Middleton beyond this period of establishment.

Decision

The Mayor has;
1. Noted and considered the results of the consultation exercise in respect of the designation of a Mayoral Development Corporation in Middleton.
2. Noted that a statutory consultation has taken place with all GM constituent councils and each Member of Parliament whose parliamentary constituency contains any part of the area.
3. Agreed to endorse the response to the consultation set out in section 5 of the Mayors report.
4. Noted that Rochdale Council will consider if they support the proposal at their meeting on 29th September 2026.
5. Supported the proposal and approved the designation moving to the next phase of the approval process, noting that a report will then be laid before the GMCA stating that the Mayor proposes to designate the area identified at Appendix 1 of this report as a Mayoral Development Area.
6. Agreed that subject to the GMCA approving and Rochdale Council endorsing the proposal, to designate the Mayoral development area for Middleton and notify the Secretary of State of the designation and the name to be given to the Mayoral Development Corporation, as follows: “Middleton Co-operative Mayoral Development Corporation”.

Alternative options considered

The option to rely solely on existing delivery arrangements was considered but rejected, as this would not provide the same level of dedicated focus, coordination or visibility required to support the scale of regeneration proposed for Middleton.
Alternative delivery vehicle options were considered as part of the earlier options review undertaken with Rochdale Council. Following that review, the creation of a Mayoral Development Corporation was identified as the most appropriate mechanism to support strategic delivery, coordination, investment, and regeneration in Middleton.
Amending the proposed boundary was also considered in light of consultation responses. Some respondents proposed expanding the boundary to include additional areas, while others suggested reducing it to focus more closely on Middleton town centre or excluding green spaces. These views have been considered, but the proposed boundary has been retained because it is considered to provide the appropriate focus for investment and delivery in the areas where the MDC can have the greatest transformational impact. Expanding the boundary could dilute that focus and increase complexity, while reducing it could limit the MDC’s ability to operate as an effective regeneration vehicle.