Millions to be spent on ‘access’ business case for massive Northern Gateway employment park

Bury Council has awarded a contract worth nearly £3 million for the ‘western access’ project that supports the Northern Gateway employment park, which aims to create around 10,000 jobs and boost investment in Greater Manchester. They allocated £2.83 million to finalise an outline business case for this scheme, with Balfour Beatty UK as the main contractor. The project includes up to 6.5 million sqft of industrial space and aims to benefit local areas like Bury and Rochdale, enhancing access via the M60, M62, and M66 corridors. The outline planning permission is being reviewed by Bury and Rochdale councils. Improvements along Pilsworth Road are planned to facilitate the initial developments of the investment zone. The outline business case will detail strategic, economic, and financial aspects of the scheme, ensuring a solid groundwork for future planning. If funding is not approved, up to £1.5 million in grant funding could potentially be lost, jeopardising the Western Access scheme and its broader goals for the Northern Gateway.

Read the full article at Manchester Evening News