Tram link included in town’s regeneration vision | Manchester News

A tram connection, new cinema and high street regeneration are all included in a new vision for a Greater Manchester town.

Rochdale Council hopes a new collaboration with city region mayor Andy Burnham will overcome planning obstacles for the rejuvenation of Middleton.

Previous attempts to revive the town have floundered over complicated attempts to free up land for development.

The council hopes its partnership with the mayor, setting up a regeneration body known as a Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC), will give it the backing it needs to surmount development constraints, market failures and viability issues.

Council chiefs had previously designed a masterplan for Middleton in 2022, which had ambitions to create thousands of new homes and a new Metrolink tram line off the Bury line, but there were blocks to progress.

A regeneration of the high streets was also included in the 2022 vision to help address “building vacancy and a scruffy appearance in areas” but the council has struggled to unlock the land to deliver it.

The latest meeting of the council’s cabinet heard how the new MDC could bring in the Greater Manchester Combined Authority to help drive their ambitions for the town forward.

Council leader Councillor Neil Emmott, who represents West Middleton ward, said: “The mayor has a greater access to money than we do. I think we can get more through a MDC.

“It has been years since the community cinema closed down but I would like to see a cinema in Middleton again. I also think it would be brilliant if they could bring Metrolink trams to our town centre.

“This could be a real game changer for Middleton. It will be getting the regeneration it has needed for many, many years.”

The next steps will see an MDC report delivered to GMCA and £600,000 spent to kickstart the plan.

Councillor Sue Smith, portfolio holder for communities and cooperation, described it as “a long time coming”. She said she believes it will tie in with the Atom Valley scheme, which is expected to generate more than 20,000 high-quality jobs and bring a £1bn economic boost to Rochdale and Bury.