The Greater Manchester Good Growth Fund is set to nearly double from £1 billion to almost £2 billion. This expansion is fuelled by a landmark £500 million investment from the National Wealth Fund, alongside significant government grants and transport funding.
The initiative aims to pioneer a new economic model that distributes wealth across all ten districts, focusing on infrastructure, brownfield regeneration, and social rent housing.
Andy Haldane, President of the British Chambers of Commerce called the plan: “A fantastically innovative way of solving a really deep-rooted longstanding problem in the UK, which is that far too little money is flowing outside of the South East.”
Bid to host the 2035 Ryder Cup in Bolton
Greater Manchester has officially launched a bid to host the 2035 Ryder Cup at a proposed world-class golf course at Hulton Park, Bolton. To support the bid, the region is committing £69.8 million for ‘Park Avenue,’ a major transport infrastructure package and, if successful, it would be the first time England has hosted the tournament in over 30 years, potentially adding £1.2 billion to the North West economy.
Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said: “The success of the BRIT Awards in Manchester shows that we can we attract and deliver international events to a brilliant standard. Culture and sport will be major drivers of our good growth, and that’s why we’re bidding to host the biggest ever Ryder Cup in Bolton in 2035.
“We’ve had promising conversations with organisers about bringing the tournament to a bespoke, world-class course at Hulton Park. But it will only be possible with the right infrastructure. We’re doing our bit to make it happen. We’re committing up to £70 million to deliver a transport package to not only help spectators get to the site but deliver major benefits for the people living in the surrounding areas.”
Professional Golfer and Ryder Cup winner Tommy Fleetwood added: “Whenever it’s on, the Ryder Cup is the biggest sporting event in the world, and bringing that to the North West of England would be something very special that we’d remember forever.”
Housing and infrastructure breakthroughs for Greater Manchester
The latest funding round allocates specific amounts to unlock thousands of homes and jobs. Notable projects include £26 million for social and affordable housing in Wythenshawe, £60 million for a new Metrolink stop at Sandhills to serve 15,000 planned homes, and £35 million for the Prestwich Village regeneration.
These projects are tied to the ‘Good Growth Contract,’ requiring developers to commit to local employment and social value.
Greater Manchester district investment highlights
The funding is distributed across the region to unlock specific strategic sites:
- Rochdale: £15m for the Sustainable Materials and Manufacturing Centre in Atom Valley.
- Bolton: £69.8m for the Park Avenue link road (unlocking 4,000 homes).
- Bury & Rochdale: £52.1m for Northern Gateway access (unlocking 20,000 jobs).
- Trafford: £89.1m for New Carrington transport and £23.9m for Stretford town centre housing.
- Oldham: Support for the £70m “SportsTown” masterplan at Boundary Park.
Find out more about the Greater Manchester Good Growth Fund here.