Greater Manchester is already the fastest-growing city-region in the UK. While we are encouraged by this, we know more must be done for growth to continue and be spread further and wider. This £10 billion growth plan is just another way in which our local economy is being turbo-charged by Labour in power at every level.
At a local level, the Labour-led Council is prioritising driving the improvement of our borough’s heritage in very difficult circumstances, and also regenerating Oldham town centre to drive footfall, attract & create thriving SMEs, and breathe life into the area.
From the new market and events space at Spindles, to the opening of The Hive, the renovation of Royton Town Hall, the saving of Oldham Coliseum, the restoration of the Old Library on Union Street, and the Oldham Town Living Development Framework: Labour is getting on with the job in Oldham.
Our Labour Mayor has set out this £10 billion growth plan with the North East Growth Corridor as one of the 10 growth locations. This location has the potential for 1.2 million square metres of employment space at Atom Valley for the surrounding boroughs of Oldham, Bury and Rochdale – the single largest employment opportunity for our city-region.
Here there will be thousands of quality jobs, including in advanced manufacturing, and, following our brownfield first approach, there will be thousands of new quality, low carbon homes linked to sustainable transport. Specifically for Oldham, a proposed creation of a Mayoral Development Zone around our Town Centre will ensure we benefit from the value and growth created.
More widely, our Labour government is delivering for our high streets with a permanent tax cut for retail, hospitality and leisure properties; further and deeper devolution so that those with skin in the game are in control; local government reform to put our councils on a sustainable financial footing; and reforms to planning and the pension fund market to attract investment, boost productivity and drive economic growth.
Having promised to end the years of chaos and decline, we are now beginning to deliver our Plan for Change to drive up living standards far and wide with more good quality and secure jobs for local people – a priority of mine for Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton at the election.
Jim McMahon OBE MP 