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A visionary picture of economic boom

24/ 3/2004

A VISIONARY picture of an economic boom in Middleton over the next 10 years, with hundreds of new jobs, has been outlined to local businessmen.

A business breakfast was held at the Norton Grange Hotel to launch the Rochdale Economic Development Strategy. Hosted by the Rochdale Economic Partnership it attracted more than 55 VIP guests from the business community and partner organisations such as Business Link, the Northwest Development Agency and Rochdale Council.

The plan reckons that by 2013 Rochdale borough will have 800 more firms, 7,000 more jobs and up to 10,000 people with better skills. The boost will come from strong partnership working and money for three key areas: people, enterprise and infrastructure.

Key points include additional basic skills provision and new further education courses to encourage students to remain in the borough and get higher qualifications, as well as help for new start-ups.

Roger Ellis, the council's chief executive spoke enthusiastically of direct investment in Middleton, with a staggering £42M being ploughed into the town over 10 years from a variety of sources. This will be spent primarily on the new bus station, where work is already underway, the innovatively designed civic and leisure centre and the Tesco superstore.

Barrie Bernstein, chairman of the Rochdale Development Agency, and for many years a key employer in Middleton, stressed the importance of support from the private sector to help make the challenging vision a reality.

The key-note address came from Euro MP Gary Titley who received the strategy documents from Middleton councillor Peter Roberts, chairman of the Economic Partnership. Mr Titley has helped maximise European funding for much of the work outlined.

Abdul Hamied, general manager of the Economic Partnership summed up: "We are in a position now to substantially transform thesocial and economic fabric of all the townships. Economic development will be crucial to the long-term sustainable development of the borough."