Atom Valley Greater Manchesters Bid to Create a Northern Industrial Hub

Andy Burnham’s Atom Valley project represents one of the most ambitious regional regeneration initiatives in contemporary British economic policy. Backed by a £1 billion “Good Growth” fund comprising loans and grants from local authorities and pension funds, the scheme aims to establish a five-mile innovation corridor along the M62 motorway, spanning Rochdale, Bury, and Oldham.

The project claims to draw inspiration from Silicon Valley’s success in California, positioning itself as an answer to the persistent north-south economic divide within both Greater Manchester and the United Kingdom. Named after Manchester’s historical contribution to atomic physics research, Atom Valley seeks to leverage the region’s universities and existing research capabilities to attract advanced materials and machinery companies. Officials project the development will create 20,000 jobs and 7,000 homes, though the proposal involves building partly on greenbelt land.

When construction commenced in November at the first major site, a sustainable materials and manufacturing facility in Rochdale, Burnham articulated an optimistic vision. He characterised the venture as a potential “jewel in the crown of UK plc,” emphasising its capacity to bridge the gap between scientific invention and commercial market application. The mayor envisions a high-tech corridor that will attract start-ups seeking affordable premises and improved transport infrastructure.

However, the project faces substantial scepticism from local residents and planning observers. Critics question whether sufficient demand exists for additional industrial space, given that Rochdale already contains the highest concentration of available industrial floorspace in Greater Manchester, comprising approximately 26 million square feet across 14 business parks. Vacant warehousing has remained consistently high throughout the region.

Transport connectivity presents another contested element. Local campaigners argue that proposed public transport links remain inadequate, with the promised tram extension positioned considerable distances from the development site. Residents express concern that inadequate transit infrastructure will force workers and commercial operators to rely predominantly on private vehicles, exacerbating congestion on already congested local roads and motorway networks.

The ambiguity surrounding potential tenants has generated considerable uncertainty amongst local communities. Paul Ormerod, chairman of Atom Valley, dismissed earlier speculation about Tesla establishing a European gigafactory at the Northern Gateway site as premature. He indicated that the project’s primary strategy focuses on attracting conventional operators within the advanced materials sector rather than pursuing flagship manufacturing facilities that would consume only one-third of available land.

Greater Manchester’s underlying economic performance remains robust. Oxford Economics research demonstrates that the region has outperformed most cities outside London, recording average annual gross value added growth of 3.8 percent in the city centre since 2008, substantially exceeding the national average of 1.4 percent. Productivity growth in Manchester has also surpassed London’s performance during the same period.

Despite this economic momentum, regional investment remains disproportionately concentrated on the Oxford-Cambridge corridor, which emphasises life sciences and technology infrastructure. The Chancellor has already committed £500 million to developing that area into Europe’s “Silicon Valley.” Ormerod argues that government investment strategies systematically underestimate opportunities for substantial returns through supporting technology adoption by existing firms rather than exclusively pursuing cutting-edge innovations.

Atom Valley represents one of Greater Manchester’s inaugural Mayoral Development Zones, which leverage devolved powers to facilitate investment. Jackie Sadek, former government adviser and chair of the UK Innovation Corridor, suggests that if Atom Valley successfully combines Manchester’s industrial heritage with affordable, flexible workspace for both start-ups and scaling enterprises, the project could achieve significant success. Local opposition, however, reflects deeper anxieties about democratic engagement in regional planning processes and whether promised employment opportunities will materialise following residential development