It’s official… work has finally begun on the first major development in Atom Valley.
If you’re not familiar with Atom Valley, this new project is set to be a unique innovation ‘cluster’ – plans of which were approved by local leaders all the way back in summer 2022 – with the potential to create up to 20,000 new jobs in Greater Manchester once it’s complete.
Greater Manchester wants Atom Valley to become a ‘springboard’ for new and emerging companies and researchers, giving them the support and the opportunities they need to trial and commercialise their innovations right here in our region.
The new development which ground has now been broken on is a Sustainable Materials and Manufacturing Centre (SMMC) – which is set to become a thriving hub of innovation.
Today is a big day for GM.
We break ground on a new research centre at Atom Valley – our emerging world-class cluster in advanced materials and manufacturing.
Here, start-ups and emerging companies will be able to pioneer new technologies and scale up their ambitions, all while creating jobs and driving growth across the region in the process.
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Located next to the Kingsway Business Park in Rochdale, it will offer 30,000 sq ft of new laboratory space, workshops, and design studios, as well as a lecture theatre, meeting rooms, office space, and flexible workspace for start-ups.
With the ‘right’ support, local leaders say the SMMC will also be a vital link between Atom Valley and the Oxford Road Corridor, ultimately forging a pathway for new companies and projects to expand from the city centre out into the wider city region.
Work has finally begun on Greater Manchester’s new ‘innovation hub’ in Atom Valley / Credit: DLA Architecture
Mayor Andy Burnham says this is the ‘most ambitious development’ in Atom Valley so far
“It will help unleash the untapped potential of the world-leading research taking place across our city region, bridging that crucial gap from invention to bringing those new innovations to the market,” he explained. “And it will create a new hi-tech corridor from the out to the north of Greater Manchester, creating jobs and new opportunities for start-ups to scale up their ambitions.
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“This is integrated, well-connected development in action, and a clear sign of our mission to spread the benefits of growth right across our city region.”
Construction of the SMMC is expected to be completed by summer 2026, and work is now also underway to agree next steps for the site to be occupied.
Featured Image – GMCA
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The Strokes announce first Manchester gig in two decades
Daisy Jackson
The Strokes are finally set to return to Manchester for the first time in years, announcing a huge arena show today.
The iconic indie rockers have shared details of a new European tour, which includes a night at the massive Co-op Live arena here in Manchester.
The news comes hot off the heels of their celebrated Coachella set over the weekend.
The Reality Awaits Tour, named after their upcoming seventh studio album, will take The Strokes to Manchester as well as London and Newcastle, plus several cities across Europe.
The Strokes broke into the industry back in 2001 with their seminal debut album Is This It, which spawned massive indie anthems like Last Nite, Hard To Explain, and Sometimes.
Since then, they’ve released six studio albums, all of which have climbed into the top 10 of the UK Albums Chart.
You can expect to hear all sorts of fan favourites, like Reptilia, Juicebox, and You Only Live Once, plus new music including their latest single The New Abnormal.
Co-op Live said: “This is set to be an unmissable show as they come to Co-op Live for the first time and we can’t wait!”
Last time The Strokes played in Manchester, it was at the O2 Apollo way back in 2006 – the same year they supported Foo Fighters at Emirates Old Trafford Cricket Ground.
They played Lytham Festival more recently, but haven’t ventured back into Manchester itself since.
The Strokes will play at Co-op Live in Manchester on 26 October 2026.
Tickets will go on sale at 10am on Friday 17 April HERE, with a number of pre-sales beginning from Wednesday 15 April.
Manchester Museum to close much-loved section for ‘major’ £200k redevelopment
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Museum has announced that it’s planning to close of its best-loved exhibitions.
Thanks to a grant of £200,000 from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport’s (DCMS) Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund, Manchester Museum is planning a major redevelopment of its much-loved Vivarium.
The Vivarium has sat at the heart of Manchester Museum for more than 60 years, and is a centre for globally-significant conservation projects, caring for around 30 different amphibian and reptile species – many of which are critically endangered – in a bid to inspire generations of visitors.
Thanks to a pioneering partnership with Panama Wildlife Conservation Charity, which is just one of many projects designed to safeguard the future of endangered species and develop learning programmes that raise awareness of threats to biodiversity, Manchester Museum houses the world’s only captive ‘back-up’ population – which is why the redevelopment of the Vivarium is so important.
The funding grant will help to ‘revitalise’ public displays, and create new state-of-the art facilities and bespoke naturalistic environments for the amphibian and reptile species cared for by the Vivarium.
It will also allow the development of dedicated facilities for schools, teaching, and visiting tour groups, which the Museum hopes will ‘further enhance’ the gallery’s potential for learning.
During the redevelopment – which has been named the ‘Habitats of Hope’ project – new permanent displays will also be created that explore the connections between its wider collections and the animals it cares for.
Manchester Museum is set to close one of its much-loved sections for ‘major’ £200k redevelopment / Credit: Supplied
“Habitats of Hope speaks to how wonderful and how vulnerable the world’s rarest amphibians are” commented Georgina Young, who is the Head of Collections and Exhibitions at Manchester Museum.
“Major investment means Manchester Museum can match the highest standards of animal care with a more accessible visitor experience, while weaving stories of research, conservation, partnership and action that stretch from thriving ponds in Manchester to hyper-biodiverse ecosystems in Costa Rica and Panama.”
Emily Sergeant -
14th November 2025 
