These are the most significant developments tabled with local authorites across Greater Manchester recently
Manchester skyline(Image: bardhok – stock.adobe.com)
A billion pound health campus and a tiny park with a funny name are among the most significant developments earmarked for Greater Manchester recently.
An exciting vision for the transformation of land around Royal Bolton Hospital turned heads last week with what was dubbed ‘one of the most exciting and innovative schemes in the North West’. The scheme would see new housing, student accommodation, green spaces, new travel routes and much more.
Over in city centre Manchester, the plot christened ‘Pigeon Triangle’ is set to be built in the shadow of Piccadilly Station. The new park forms part of a 900-home residential scheme. Pigeon Triangle has been designed by Tom Massey, the brains behind the Avanade Intelligent Garden which won a Gold Medal at the 2025 RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
Here is a breakdown of each borough’s recently submitted public notices…
Bolton
A concept image for part of the Bolton health campus development site
Billion pound ‘health campus’ and new communities planned for land close to hospital
A massive plan to develop a billion pound ‘health campus’ which includes new homes on current green land close to Royal Bolton Hospital has been unveiled.
A vision for Health Innovation Bolton (HIB), a strategic partnership between Bolton Council, Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, Peel Land, the University of Greater Manchester and Bradford Estates has been published. Health Innovation Bolton (HIB) said the strategy was a ‘place-based growth initiative aimed at improving health and wellbeing while driving economic regeneration and better social outcomes’. It claims it is ‘one of the most exciting and innovative schemes in the North West’.
New residential neighbourhoods would include affordable housing, key worker and student accommodation, and supported living, alongside market housing HIB said the new community would ‘integrate with surrounding communities in Farnworth and Great Lever and be centred around a new elevated linear park’.
Manchester
How the new Pigeon Triangle park might look(Image: Studio Egret West for Landsec via planning documents)
The tiny park with a funny name that could come to Piccadilly
A tiny park with a funny name is set to be built in the shadow of Piccadilly Station. Developers have announced plans to turn a 0.1 hectare plot of land, used for storage on Baring Street, into a ‘green, welcoming, and climate-resilient urban pocket park’ with 19 trees. Landsec, the developer behind the city centre’s newest park nearby, has christened the plot ‘Pigeon Triangle’.
The firm announced plans to build nearly 900 flats around Mayfield Park earlier this year, and it’s hoped creating a nicer entrance with Pigeon Triangle to the neighbourhood will draw people to larger Mayfield Park or venue Freight Island.
Rochdale
Heywood town centre(Image: LDRS)
The £20m regeneration of Greater Manchester town centre now waiting on government sign-off
A revitalised town square, civic centre and newly improved shopfronts are all in store for Heywood, once a multi-million-pound scheme gets the green light. The Rochdalian town is on its way to receiving a £20m boost, with the Pride in Place plan now submitted to the government by the Heywood Town Board.
Heywood has long been earmarked for cash as part of the government’s Pride in Place scheme, which was previously known as the Long Term Plan for Neighbourhoods. The money will only be released over a 10-year period once the government formally approves the board’s proposal.
Proposals include creating more activities and opportunities for young people; further enhancements to the town centre, including possible shop front improvement schemes; and creating more work and training opportunities.
Tameside
Greenside Shopping Centre, Droylsden(Image: LDRS)
Empty retail unit in Greater Manchester town to be transformed into swimming pool
Droylsden could soon be welcoming a new swimming pool on the site of an empty retail unit. The former home of the Bright House, which closed over a decade ago, could soon be transformed into a new swimming facility operated by leisure company ‘Swim!’.
The organisation, which specialises in teaching children how to swim, has applied for planning permission to convert Unit F at Droylsden Shopping Centre, also known as Greenside Shopping Centre. The new leisure facility would measure 618 square metres and include a swimming pool, changing area, plant room, viewing lounge, reception and an office/staff area.
The developers, Swim Sports Club Limited, believe this plan could increase footfall in the town centre and bring a vacant unit back into use for a viable business.
Mottram-in-Longdendale/Hollingworth, Tameside
Planned road layout changes will take place on Roe Cross Road & A57 Mottram Moor. The preliminary works are part of a wider project to build two new link roads between Manchester and Sheffield. Works expected to last until January 31, 2028.
Stockport
A map showing plans for new homes on Windlehurst Road in High Lane, Stockport. Image from planning report submitted to Stockport council. Uploaded by local democracy reporter Declan Carey.
The Stockport land earmarked for more than 400 new homes
More than 400 new homes could be built around Stockport in a number of plans submitted to the council. Up to 250 homes are being planned on land off Windlehurst Road in the village of High Lane, close to the Macclesfield Canal by Bancroft’s Bridge.
Persimmon Homes has earmarked the site for housing, which is based a short distance away from the A6 Buxton Road and the village centre. A masterplan for the area includes designs with open space, landscaping, and access off Windlehurst Road.
The planning report states that the location has ‘a reasonable range of services and facilities’ nearby, as well as ‘walking routes towards the local centre and primary school’.
Trafford
Ambitious semi-pro football club bidding to build new clubhouse
Semi-professional football club Trafford has applied for planning permission to build a new clubhouse, changing facilities, and hospitality and upgrade its floodlighting
The club, based at Shawe View Stadium in Urmston, plays in the eighth tier of the English football league pyramid and attracts average crowds of about 400. Founded in 1990, Trafford has previously been a training ground for Manchester City and Salford’s rugby league team.
In the 1980s it was the home of Urmston Town FC, sharing the ground with Trafford Borough Rugby League Club.