Partners cue up 6.5m sq ft at GM’s Northern Gateway
Russell LDP and Harworth Group have launched a consultation ahead of submitting plans for industrial-led development between Rochdale and Bury, in the Atom Valley mayoral development zone.
The site, allocated in the Greater Manchester Places for Everyone joint development plan, is located at a strategically important intersection around the M60, M62 and M66 motorways, straddling the Bury and Rochdale border.
The Northern Gateway Development Vehicle (NGDV), a 50/50 partnership between Russell LDP and Harworth Group, is advancing a planning application covering around half the overall proposed floorspace across the Northern Gateway employment site.
NGDV said the first phase could see around 9,990 high-quality jobs created (with the wider employment site set to deliver around 20,000 jobs), a £570m GVA boost to Greater Manchester’s economy each year and annual business rates of around £20m.
The plans include:
- Around 6.5m sq ft of employment space in advanced manufacturing, industrial and logistics.
- Around 50,000 sq ft of supporting uses, possibly including retail, cafés/restaurants, a hotel, office space, conference and training facilities and community uses.
- Landscaping and green open space.
- Active travel routes.
An NGDV spokesperson said: “Northern Gateway will be one of the largest, most significant employment destinations in the UK. By creating a hub for innovation it’s set to attract national and international businesses and supercharge the Greater Manchester economy.
“The site will deliver opportunities for people living in Bury, Rochdale and beyond with thousands of high-quality jobs and a long-term legacy of skills. Alongside advanced manufacturing jobs, from skilled trades to R&D, AI and robotics, the site could offer high-quality logistics jobs like project managers, IT operatives, sales teams and engineers.”
Turley is the planning advisor on the project, also providing EIA, design, economics, sustainability and heritage services.

Outlined in red, the development site is close to the South Heywood development area. Credit: via Font Comms
The consultation runs until 17 February 2025 and will include drop-in events at the Old Police Station business centre in Heywood (on Wednesday 25 January) and at Pike Fold Golf Club, on Tuesday 4 February.
An online Q&A will be held between 6pm and 7pm on Monday 3 February. The online consultation website is also now live and can be found here.
NGDV plans to submit an outline planning application to both Rochdale and Bury Councils in the spring and expects a decision later in the year.
Under the PfE outline, the Northern Gateway allocation is made up of two development sites. The employment-led destination is referenced as JP Allocation 1.1: Heywood/Pilsworth, with a residential site referenced as JP Allocation 1.2: Simister and Bowlee.
Bury and Rochdale’s councils recently consulted on a supplementary planning document for the employment-led allocation (JPA 1.1) to provide more detailed policy on what should be developed.
NGDV is also in the early stages of considering proposals for the 1.2 residential allocation, which will follow at a later date, and will also be subject of an SPD and separate consultation.
The Northern Gateway site lies close to the South Heywood development one, where Russell Homes has outline consent for a 318-acre masterplan that includes 1,000 homes.
In a separate Atom Valley project, plans were approved in October for a 42,700 sq ft sustainable materials innovation hub, put forward by Rochdale Council at the Kingsway business park.
I get that this will create loads of new jobs and prosperity which will benefit tens of thousands of people and future generations but I am rather concerned that this will add a minute or two to my car commute. Therefore the plans shouldn’t go ahead, because I am the most important person in the world.
By NIMBY comments in 3,2,1...
Ah but you don’t really get it NIMBY. This will hopefully create many high value jobs and add greatly to Manchester as a world class area to invest and as a Yimby myself I approve this amazing development.. except it’s not really in my back yard..or yours. If it were I’m sure you’d be blustering to your local MP too. Perspective…always perspective.
By Anonymous
They should really work to attract Tesla here whether it’s to make Robots, Energy Storage or cars they have a real opportunity to build something game changing. AI along with garlic bread ,it’s the future..just ask it..it’ll tell you.
By Robbo Taxi
Look at all that greenbelt land. This is just near me. They’ve yet to make a start on South Heywood. Get than done first before expanding on this chunk (if ever). Not to mention the TRAFFIC it will generate, yes it will generate a considerable amount (to those who say it won’t). I will be voting against this.
By Andrew
It will be interesting to see whether the Old Trafford MDC plans will impinge on Northern Gateway/Atom Valley. Switching priorities from a plan to tackle inequality and increase growth in the most deprived areas of Greater Manchester in favour of subsidising the regeneration of billionaire-owned assets would be an extraordinary move.
By Alfonso Ringroad
So 6.5 MILLION sq ft of industrial units and only 50,000 sq ft of retail, hotels etc. Totally out of scale. Heywood left with a landscape of yet more industrial units delivering low skill jobs.
By Gullible
‘advanced manufacturing jobs, from skilled trades to R&D, AI and robotics,’
and someone has basically commented..’but there’s no Greggs’ The limited scale of some people’s minds is astonishing!
By Not so Gullible
Anonymous 12.09pm – I think Nimby’s comments were tongue in cheek. This development could be fantastic, providing it does attract innovative people, companies, and ideas. Otherwise, it could just be yet another generic business park with big sheds and a few shops.
By Anonymous
So what will ensure the new space is used entirely or even mostly for the high-end tech, manufacturing and R&B jobs being talked about, and it doesn’t end up just being more of the giant distribution sheds going everywhere else?
I know there’s the usual argument that all jobs/investment is good, but it would be sad if something better can’t be delivered here given the hype.
By Anonymous
It is not a French Atomic “Valley” it is a Norse English “Dale”. The original name is the clue: Roch Dale.
By Anonymous