Tameside News

Tameside has recorded its highest level of inward investment for 7 years and the Borough has witnessed a steady increase in companies locating mainly from other areas of Greater Manchester and the rest of the United Kingdom to take advantage of a strategic motorway network (only 20 minutes from Manchester airport) strong supplier chains and a keen skilled and semi-skilled workforce.

Following the opening of the M60 motorway link in 2000 Tameside MBC has recorded 63 relocation successes during 2004 (32% of these were from outside the area) providing a massive boost to local job creation and a rising multi million pound investment in the general Tameside economy.

Strategic key developments include the new M60 Manchester outer ring road opened in October 2000, the Ashton Northern Bypass and planning for the Metrolink extension into Ashton-Under-Lyne. A major 35 hectare development on Ashton Moss from joint developers Amec and Stayley is creating strong interest from regional and national operations with current tenants including Cine UK, Hollywood Bowl, Brewers Fayre, Frankie & Bennys, KFC, The Car People, Office Depot, Norbain, Travelodge and a Chinese Restaurant. This strategic employment site is a mixed use scheme comprising 1.1 million sq ft (102,190 sq m) of light industrial use, 195,000 sq ft (18,115 sq m) of leisure, 100,000 sq ft (9,290 sq m) of office and retail development with the new Sainsburys Superstore and adjacent retailers already trading successfully.

Current Tameside schemes include: - Longlands Mill in Stalybridge a part listed mill in Stalybridge which Tom Bloxham's Urban Splash team will convert to high impact residential and retail space. Droylsden Marina in Droylsden - will be transformed to a mixed use urban village waterfront community with high quality apartments, houses, restaurants, bars and a hotel (in partnership with TMBC and Watkin Jones). The first phase of the £50m St Petersfield Ashton-under-Lyne in partnership with TMBC and Ask Developments has already commenced with over 500,000 sq ft (46,450 sq m) of office, leisure and retail space which will sustain around 2000 jobs.

A significant amount of non-retail inward investment has also taken place in the Borough over the last few years with a number of major inward investors choosing the area - Cardinal Shop Fitters, Brake Brothers, Airtours, Taylor Woodrow, Qualtex, St Gobain, Esporta Leisure, Petcareco (to name just a few). Sites like Tameside Park in Dukinfield and Orbital 24 in Denton are both fully let whilst Eastern Approach, Parkway and the new office "Orbital 24" still have industrial and office space for interested investors.

The growing reputation of Tameside is evident to retailers and shoppers alike with a number of vibrant town centres and modern developments like the Snipe Retail Park (opposite Ashton Moss), the Arcades Shopping Centre in Ashton town centre and the new Crown Point North scheme in Denton. A wide range of major retailers are established in Tameside including Next, Argos, WH Smith, B & Q, Pizza Hut, Halfords, Currys, McDonalds, Morrisons, Tesco and Sainsburys and more recently Wallis, MFI, BHS, TK Maxx. H & M Hennes. The Borough can now boast a selection of modern and new pubs, family restaurants and hotels including The Village at Hyde, The Stablegate & Travel Inn at Denton, the Scottish & Newcastle Outside Inn at Mottram Junction roundabout the Brewers Fayre and new Travelodge on Ashton Moss.

Central to Tameside’s success is the forward looking Beacon Council - who have over the last few years bid for and secured a significant amount of funding (including European Objective 2, North West Development Agency, Single Regeneration Budget, Millennium, Lottery and Economic Development Zone) to assist the regeneration of Tameside as a whole. Many significant partnerships have also been established including MIDAS (promoting investment for Greater Manchester) The Tame Valley Partnership, The Hattersley Neighbourhood Partnership etc, who continue to create and sustain a better future for their residents.

(For further information on the above please contact the Economic Development Unit on 0161 342 2865)