A raft of major projects will take a major step forward this year after a massive funding injection was approved as part the council’s annual budget.
In total, £197.6 million will be invested into capital projects across the borough over the 12 months from 1 April 2026, with around £120 million, 61 per cent of the total, coming from external funding and grants.
Major schemes will be delivered across vital areas of council work, including children’s services, where £900,000 will be spent creating 4 new children’s homes to enable cared for and young people to live closer to home.
In addition, money will be spent improving school buildings across the borough to create additional, much-needed school places.
Huge regeneration schemes will continue across the borough, with a further £12 million being invested into the Sustainable Materials and Manufacturing Centre (SMMC) at Kingsway.
This flagship facility will contain laboratories, flexible workspaces, workshops and design studios as part of the wider Atom Valley project, a game changing scheme which will create up to 20,000 highly skilled jobs in technology and manufacturing across Rochdale and Bury. The construction of the SMMC is already under way, with completion set for later in 2026.
More than £6 million has been earmarked for physical regeneration projects around the borough’s 5 railway stations, with new homes, commercial space, highways and public realm improvements in the pipeline. Work on a new square in front of Rochdale railway station is set to get under way this year, with construction of 33 new homes and commercial space also about to start at nearby Station Road.
Major improvements will continue in Heywood, with money from the Government’s Pride in Place funding programme set to start coming through in 2026.
Major improvements will continue in Heywood, with money from the Government’s Pride in Place funding programme set to start coming through in 2026.
Improvements in Middleton will continue with the work of the Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC) serving as a catalyst for the further regeneration of this area, while plans to repurpose and refurbish the Old Grammar School will continue to take shape.
Improvements in Middleton will continue with the work of the Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC) serving as a catalyst for the further regeneration of this area.
More than £5 million will be invested into the borough’s highways network, in addition to special projects, such as the extension of the Junction 19 link road, which attracts additional funding on top of the £5 million.
More than £2 million will be spent improving hostel accommodation at Leopold Court to enable the council to further its extensive support package for the homeless community.
Money has also been earmarked for flood alleviation schemes in Littleborough, Wardleworth and Turf Hill.
£3.4 million will be invested at one of the borough’s biggest tourist attractions, Hollingworth Lake.
£3.4 million will be invested at one of the borough’s biggest tourist attractions, Hollingworth Lake, with the delivery of a new high nets woodland adventure course, improvements to the Cottage and Palatine buildings, picnic tables and signage, alongside improvements to the car parks.
Councillor Neil Emmott, leader of the council, said:
“I’m incredibly proud that we are continuing to invest in fantastic projects across our borough, while also keeping council tax discount as low as possible via our innovative council tax discount scheme.
“The fact that more than half the money we’ve allocated for capital spending is coming from external sources, including government grants, lottery bids and other vital funding streams, is testament to how hard we‘ve worked to bring investment into our borough.
“These projects, taking place at sites across the whole borough, are an investment into our future. Schemes like the Atom Valley project, which will create thousands of jobs for our residents, the new children’s homes, which will help to give our young people the best start in life, and the continued investment into our town centres, will all create a positive difference which will be felt for many years to come.”