The Atom Valley Northern Gateway Mayoral Development Corporation (Establishment) Order 2025
This statutory instrument formally establishes the Atom Valley Northern Gateway Mayoral Development Corporation by exercising powers granted under the Localism Act 2011, as modified by related orders concerning Greater Manchester.
The Order defines the precise Mayoral development area using a specific map, names the new corporation, and sets the commencement date for its operation as January 16th, 2026.
Arguments For
Provides a dedicated corporate body with specific powers to oversee and drive the regeneration and development within the designated Atom Valley Northern Gateway area.
Establishes a clear, defined geographical boundary for focused investment and planning, leveraging powers under the Localism Act 2011.
Formalizes the structure and name of the corporation, providing legal certainty for stakeholders, investors, and local authorities involved in the development zone.
Aims to accelerate economic growth and infrastructure improvements in a specific region of Greater Manchester, as identified by the Mayor.
Arguments Against
The establishment shifts significant planning and development control powers to a new corporation, potentially reducing democratic oversight at the local level.
Creating a new corporation entails administrative costs and potential overlaps with existing local government planning functions.
The designation relies on a map deposited for inspection, which may cause confusion or dispute if the physical demarcation is not immediately clear to the public or landowners.
Critics may argue that concentrating resources on one specific development area could divert attention or funding from other necessary local regeneration projects across Greater Manchester.
The Secretary of State makes this Order in exercise of the powers conferred by section 198 of the Localism Act 2011(“the 2011 Act”) as modified by article 4 of, and the Schedule to, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (Functions and Amendment) Order 2017 (“the 2017 Order”), having been notified of the designation of a Mayoral development area, and of the name to be given to the Corporation for the area, by the Mayor pursuant to section 197(6)(b) and (c) of the 2011 Act as modified by article 4 of, and the Schedule to, the 2017 Order.
The Secretary of State issues this Order using authority derived from Section 198 of the Localism Act 2011.
This authority is adjusted by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (Functions and Amendment) Order 2017.
This action follows notification from the Mayor regarding the area's designation as a Mayoral development area and the chosen name for the corporation, as per Section 197(6)(b) and (c) of the 2011 Act (similarly adjusted).
- Citation and commencement
This order may be cited as the Atom Valley Northern Gateway Mayoral Development Corporation (Establishment) Order 2025 and comes into force on 16th January 2026.
The official short title for this legislation is the Atom Valley Northern Gateway Mayoral Development Corporation (Establishment) Order 2025.
The Order becomes legally effective starting on January 16th, 2026.
- Mayoral development area
(1) The Mayoral development area is the area of land in Greater Manchester shown bounded externally by the inside edge of the red line on the map.
(2) In paragraph (1), “the map” means the map marked “Map referred to in the Atom Valley Northern Gateway Mayoral Development Corporation (Establishment) Order 2025” of which prints signed by a Deputy Director in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government have been deposited, and are available for inspection, at the offices of the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government and at the offices of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.
The boundaries of the Mayoral development area are defined by the area of land in Greater Manchester marked by the inner edge of the red line shown on a specific map.
The map referenced must be titled “Map referred to in the Atom Valley Northern Gateway Mayoral Development Corporation (Establishment) Order 2025”.
Certified copies, signed by a Deputy Director from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, are officially lodged and accessible for public review at the Ministry's offices and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority's offices.
- Establishment and naming of the Atom Valley Northern Gateway Mayoral Development Corporation
There is established a corporation for the Mayoral development area named the “Atom Valley Northern Gateway Mayoral Development Corporation”.
This enacts the creation of a new corporate body specifically for the defined Mayoral development area.
The official name given to this established corporation is the “Atom Valley Northern Gateway Mayoral Development Corporation”.
Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
Miatta Fahnbulleh
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State
11th December 2025
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
This section records the official signing and date of the Order.
It confirms that Miattah Fahnbulleh, acting as the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, authorized the document on behalf of the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on December 11th, 2025.
Explanatory Note (This note is not part of the Order)
This Order establishes a Mayoral development corporation in relation to an area, designated as a Mayoral development area, which encompasses the area shown bounded externally by the inner edge of a red line on the map referred to in article 2 of this Order. Copies of the map may be inspected free of charge by prior appointment with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Local Growth Delivery Unit, at 2 Marsham Street, London, SW1P 4DF and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Tootal Buildings, 56 Oxford Street, Manchester, M1 6EU.
The power to designate and establish the corporation is set out in section 198 of the Localism Act 2011, as modified by Article 4 of, and the Schedule to, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (Functions and Amendment) Order 2017 (S.I. 2017/612).
The Corporation for the area is to be called the Atom Valley Northern Gateway Mayoral Development Corporation (article 3).
A full impact assessment has not been produced for this Order as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen.
This non-statutory note confirms the Order creates a Mayoral development corporation for the area delineated by the red line on the specified map.
Interested parties can inspect the map free of charge by arranging an appointment at the Ministry of Housing offices in London or the Greater Manchester Combined Authority offices in Manchester.
The legal basis for designating the area and establishing the corporation comes from Section 198 of the Localism Act 2011, as amended by the 2017 Order (S.I. 2017/612).
Article 3 of the Order names the corporation the Atom Valley Northern Gateway Mayoral Development Corporation.
No detailed impact assessment was conducted because the government anticipates the Order will have no, or only minor, effects on the private, voluntary, or public sectors.