A huge research and development facility is to be built in Rochdale at Kingsway Business Park. The plan for an ‘advanced sustainable materials and manufacturing hub’ at the Atom Valley Innovation Centre, has been approved.
The ‘sustainable materials and manufacturing centre’ (SMMC) will boast 2,724 sq m of space and will have laboratory space; workshops; metrology space; and design and analysis studios.
A lecture theatre; meeting rooms; flexible workspace for start-ups; office space for manufacturers; and a café are also included in the plans.
Atom Valley is one of six growth locations in Greater Manchester and includes significant parts of Bury, Oldham and Rochdale.
Atom Valley is a Mayoral Development Zone (MDZ) across Rochdale, Bury and Oldham. The zone is focused on three sites - the Northern Gateway (which straddles Bury and Rochdale near the M66 and M62), Kingsway Business Park in Rochdale, and Stakehill in Rochdale and Oldham. The sites have the potential to accommodate 1.6m sq m of new employment space, create around 20,000 jobs and deliver 7,000 new homes.
A new MDZ board has been set up to coordinate the project, chaired by leading economist Paul Ormerod, who was born and brought up in Rochdale and is also chair of Rochdale Development Agency, with representatives from local and national authorities, central government, and the private sector.
The ambition is to create a hub for innovation in advanced materials, manufacturing, and green technologies, with world-leading facilities and opportunities for local residents to access good jobs, training, and skills.
The development – opposite the Metrolink stop at the business park – was tabled by the Kingsway Partnership, a collaboration between Homes England, Rochdale Development Agency, Rochdale council and Wilson Bowden.
“Advanced sustainable materials and smart intelligent machinery form the cornerstone of modern manufacturing, serving as the catalyst for precise and environmentally conscious production,” planning papers read.
“Materials and machinery play an essential, cross-disciplinary role in fostering innovation and driving sustainable manufacturing practices.
“Enhancing capabilities in sustainable materials and manufacturing will be instrumental in unleashing the industrial potential of burgeoning sectors and novel materials.
“Moreover, advancements in sustainable manufacturing techniques, including robotics and autonomous systems, offer unparalleled opportunities for product and process enhancements while ensuring a greener tomorrow.”
It is hoped the new centre will be completed by the summer of 2026.
Councillor Neil Emmott, leader of Rochdale council, previously said: “Atom Valley, located across the boroughs of Rochdale, Oldham and Bury, offers a once in a lifetime opportunity for truly transformational economic growth.
"We can offer the people living here better life chances, our young people better life chances and our businesses a great community in which to trade and work on a global basis.
“I am thrilled that the SMMC is making such great progress and look forward to seeing this visible example of our commitment to realise the vision for Atom Valley become a reality. It is planned that the centre will be complete in summer 2026.”