Purpose

The funding responds to growing opportunities across Greater Manchester’s flagship growth projects and will enable local authorities to progress project development and delivery activity during 2026/27. Eligible expenditure includes direct staffing costs, new posts, project-specific secondments and agreed commissions that support project development and delivery.
The flagship projects align with GMCA’s strategic objectives for Growth Locations, a core ambition of the Greater Manchester Strategy, and will help prepare projects for future capital investment through the Good Growth Fund.

Decision

The decision is to approve grant funding of up to £3,300,000 to Greater Manchester Local Authorities for Growth Locations revenue activity between October 2026 and March 2027.
The funding will support 11 agreed flagship projects, with allocations of up to £300,000 per project, in accordance with the scope and eligible expenditure set out in the GMCA 2125 Grant Award Report.
Details are as follows:

• Bolton – Bolton Town Centre MDC
o Funding: £300,000
o Purpose: Commission of works, staffing costs and consultancy in relation to the emerging Bolton MDC.
• Bury – Bury Town Centre Regeneration
o Funding: £300,000
o Purpose: Commission of works and staffing costs in relation to works within the town centre.
• Bury & Rochdale – Northern Gateway MDC
o Funding: £300,000
o Purpose: Commission of works, staffing costs and consultancy in relation to the established Northern Gateway MDC.
• Manchester – Holt Town
o Funding: £300,000
o Purpose: Staffing costs in relation to works at Holt Town.
• Oldham – Oldham MDC
o Funding: £300,000
o Purpose: Commission of works and staffing costs in relation to the emerging Oldham MDC.
• Rochdale – Middleton MDC
o Funding: £300,000
o Purpose: Commission of works and staffing costs in relation to the emerging Middleton MDC.
• Salford – Eccles Town Centre
o Funding: £300,000
o Purpose: Commission of works and staffing costs in relation to the ongoing works within Eccles Town Centre.
• Stockport – Stockport MDC
o Funding: £300,000
o Purpose: Commission of works, staffing costs and consultancy in relation to the ongoing works within Stockport MDC.
• Tameside – Ashton & Stalybridge MDC
o Funding: £300,000
o Purpose: Staffing costs in relation to the emerging Ashton & Stalybridge MDC.
• Trafford – Old Trafford MDC
o Funding: £300,000
o Purpose: Commission of works, staffing costs and consultancy in relation to the ongoing works within Old Trafford MDC.
• Wigan – Wigan Town Centre
o Funding: £300,000
o Purpose: Commission of works and staffing costs in relation to the ongoing works within Wigan Town Centre.
Total funding allocation: £3.3 million

Alternative options considered

The alternative option was not to award the grant funding, or to defer the decision to a later funding round. This option was rejected because it would delay local authorities’ ability to progress the agreed flagship projects during the 2026/27 financial year, reduce momentum across the Growth Locations programme and risk limiting the development of a deliverable pipeline for future capital investment.