M60 Towns: John Searle, Rochdale Development Agency

John SearleChief Executive

Rochdale Development Agency

Rochdale Space to Grow

Rochdale Development Agency

• Established in 1993, by Rochdale Borough Council as a not-for-profit organisation

• Takes the lead role in – Driving regeneration and development– Project manages major schemes on behalf of the Council– Offers business support and advice to both existing businesses and

inward investors– Have a dedicated business advisor, co-funded with the Business

Growth Hub

Its Not Easy!Local Authority “Toolkit” has changed to:

– Income - Business Rates, New Homes Bonus,– Land/assets,– Covenant strength,– Commercial understanding/business approach

Rochdale = RDA single point of contact

Space to Grow

Kingsway Business Park

• Over £200m already invested• Over 2m ft 2 already built• Over 2000 jobs created• 5x speculative builds on site with units ranging from

35,000 ft 2 to 216,000 ft 2

• 130 acres available for development, creating a further 5,000 jobs

Kingsway 216

Kingsway Spec

Kingsway Business Park

Kingsway Business Park

South Heywood

• M62 J19 direct Link Road – GM priority funding• Will connect existing employment sites such as

Heywood Distribution Park/Hareshill

• Harbert just completed 2 spec builds of 145k & 67k sqft at HDP

• Graftongate construction of 95k sqft at Hareshill

Successes over the last 12 months

Investor Confidence?

Investor Confidence?

Rochdale Town Centre

Rochdale Town Centre

£250m investment programme - £170m since 2010, mainly public sector, but……………

………..now for the Private sector investment:

Rochdale Town Centre

Rochdale Riverside

Rochdale Town CentreBusiness Rates Sale!

• We’re offering businesses moving into selected empty units 80% off their business rates for 12 months from 1 April 2015 and 50% off the following year

What About Skills?

Housing & Employment Land Opportunities?

Housing– Completion rate of 400 units last year– 30% increase in planning applications in last 12months– Sites identified to deliver over 9,000 dwellings over 15

years

Employment Land– Current supply of 130 hectares– Core Strategy identifies 210 hectares by 2028

Are We On The Right Track?

• RDA/Rochdale Council approach to development

• Investor and occupier confidence riding high• Land Availability• Transport Connections• Skills investment

What do you think?

Thank you