Co-operative values at heart of Middleton regeneration as Steve Coogan and Rose Marley lead Mayoral Development Corporation

Actor and writer Steve Coogan and Co-operatives UK CEO Rose Marley will lead a new Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC) to drive regeneration in a north Manchester town. Rooted in co-operative values, the initiative in Middleton aims to ensure investment benefits local people and builds a fairer, stronger community.

MDCs use the Greater Manchester Mayor’s devolved powers to drive transformation in towns and cities, attracting investment and creating spaces that work for local people. Successful examples include the regeneration of Stockport town centre, where its MDC has supported thousands of new homes, improved transport links and ambitious development that benefits communities.

Steve Coogan, who grew up in Alkrington, a suburb of Middleton, said: "Middleton is a town I want to help because it’s helped me. It was a great place to grow up and it did a lot for me. 

"Middleton is really rich in history, the history of people power, and it has a great civil rights history, with social reformers like Sam Bamford coming from this area. It’s a place which has a strong sense of its own identity. I've done lots of live shows around the country and you get the best reaction from towns that know who they are, and Middleton people have got a sense of themselves.

Co-operatives UK CEO Rose Marley hails from North Manchester. She said: “Middleton has a great cultural and musical heritage and Middleton people stand up for what they believe in. There is a real character and sense of community here.

“The Mayoral Development Corporation is a model that's been utilised in other areas to bring investment to an area. And once you start bringing in investment, whether that's public or private, community-based investments, then you can have a vision and you can have a plan and everybody can galvanise around that, whether it's transport, housing, or cultural spaces. 

"We’re keen to consult and work with the people of Middleton to make sure that it's being delivered in line with their needs and desires."

The Middleton MDC was proposed by Rochdale Borough Council to accelerate regeneration already underway in the town, such as the opening of Middleton Arena, the redevelopment of Middleton Gardens and restoration of historic buildings.

Chairs designate Steve Coogan and Rose Marley were announced during the launch of the Greater Manchester Strategy 2025-2035 – a blueprint to build a greener, fairer future for the region’s 2.9 million residents, harnessing the benefits of devolution to drive positive change.

At the heart of plans for Middleton are ambitions to extend the Metrolink, build high-quality homes on brownfield sites, create business spaces, and improve public areas, roads and pathways.

Councillor Neil Emmott, Leader of Rochdale Borough Council, said: “I’m delighted to welcome Steve Coogan and Rose Marley to lead the Middleton Mayoral Development Corporation.

“Although he enjoys national and international fame and success, Middleton-born Steve retains a deep connection to the area and I’m thrilled that he is using his voice and profile to help to turbo charge its regeneration. I’m also delighted that Rose Marley is lending her extensive expertise to this vital project.

The Rochdale Council Leader added: “As a councillor in Middleton for many years, and someone who, like Steve, attended Cardinal Langley School, I’m incredibly passionate about the area and know that with the right support in place, we can achieve great things for the benefit of its residents.

“We’ve already done a lot to regenerate Middleton in recent years, but we need to take it much further and an MDC gives us that extra power to do even more, even faster.

“We’re still early on in this process, and we will be speaking to residents and businesses across Middleton in the coming months to find out what they want from an MDC and how they want it to work.”

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: “Steve is a real champion of community-led change and the power of local people to make a difference – so it’s fantastic to have him leading a new Mayoral Development Corporation right here in his home town.

“This next decade in Greater Manchester will be all about ensuring every person and every place benefits from our economic growth story. I know Steve and Rose will be fully committed to that mission, and we’re all excited to work with them to deliver for residents in Middleton.”