The Northern Gateway Development Vehicle (NGDV), a 50/50 partnership between Russell LDP, Manchester-headquartered land promoter, master developer and industrial and logistics specialists, and Harworth Group plc, a leading land and property regenerator of sustainable developments, has submitted an outline planning application to Bury and Rochdale Councils for a nationally significant employment development at Northern Gateway in Greater Manchester.

The proposed plans for the first phase of Northern Gateway would see the delivery of up to 6.5 million sq ft of employment space, suitable for a wide range of industries, with a focus on the advanced manufacturing and industrial and logistics sectors. The application also includes proposals for supporting infrastructure and amenities, such as retail and leisure space, a hotel and landscaped green open spaces, all connected by a network of travel routes.

Northern Gateway represents the largest proposed employment site in Greater Manchester. The planning application represents approximately half of the total proposed floorspace at Northern Gateway, capable of supporting up to 10,000 jobs on-site, including skilled trades such as research & development, AI and robotics, and logistics. The Northern Gateway opportunity in its entirety is expected to deliver around 20,000 jobs.

Once complete, this phase of the scheme is expected to contribute £630 million of GVA to the regional economy each year and annual business rates of around £20 million to support council services.

Set within the Atom Valley Mayoral Development Zone, the site was allocated in the Places for Everyone (PfE) joint development plan and is strategically located at the intersection of the M60, M62 and M66 motorways, straddling the Bury and Rochdale border. Northern Gateway is one of the largest, most accessible employment sites in the UK, with excellent connectivity across the entire North West region and swathes of England, Wales and Scotland.

Helen Hartley, Planning Associate Director at Russell LDP commented:

“This is a major milestone in delivering a nationally important employment destination in the North West. Northern Gateway is a transformative opportunity, many years in the making, that will create thousands of jobs and bring lasting benefits to the local area and wider region. With sustainable design at its core, our masterplan will create a thriving environment of high-quality employment units, transport and active travel routes and large areas of new, publicly accessible parkland attracting leading local, national and international employers.”

Lynda Shillaw, Chief Executive at Harworth Group PLC, commented:

 “Northern Gateway will transform the North West and its economy. Focussed on advanced manufacturing, industrial and logistics, and emerging sectors, it will provide a catalyst for growth, elevating the potential of the North West for both existing businesses to expand and new national and international investment in the region. The plans will put the northern conurbation of Greater Manchester on the map as a destination for jobs and skills, driving opportunities for future generations and delivering inclusive growth.”

Supporting the ambitions of the Atom Valley Mayoral Development Zone, the proposals will create a dynamic and nationally significant employment destination, driving jobs and investment in the northern boroughs of Manchester and supporting a rebalancing of the city region’s economy.

Bury and Rochdale Councils recently approved the adoption of a joint Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) for Northern Gateway JPA 1.1 which provides a framework for the determination of future planning applications within the employment-led site.

The NGDV awaits the Councils’ determination of the outline planning application.  If approved, a number of Reserved Matters applications will follow and there will be further opportunities for local communities and stakeholders to have their say.

The NGDV is also in the early stages of considering proposals for the related residential allocation at Northern Gateway (referred to as JPA1.2 in PfE), which will follow at a later date to the employment site and will also be subject to separate consultation.