Bury to confirm Balfour Beatty as Northern Gateway main contractor

A report recommending that the council’s cabinet endorse a strategic outline business case for the Northern Gateway’s Western Access scheme will go before members this week.

The road, to be built by Balfour Beatty, will provide key access to the wider Atom Valley mayoral development zone off the M62, M66, and local highways.

Works will mean primary access is taken from the M62 via a new access, Junction 19a, and a reconfigured J19 to the east of the site.

Secondary access from the west will be via an enhanced J3 of the M66. The proposals are to make use of the existing junction form, extracting as much capacity as possible.

The access scheme is a part of the wider access strategy for the zone prepared by Bury Council, Rochdale Council, and the joint venture between Russell LDP and Harworth Group.

Also known as the Pilsworth Road Corridor Improvements, timeframes and funding were approved in November 2024, and now Bury’s cabinet has been advised to confirm the appointment of Balfour Beatty as principal contractor for the project.

In addition, the local authority has been recommended to delegate endorsement of the scheme to the director of law and democratic services, the executive director of place, the director of finance, the council leader, and the cabinet member for strategic growth.

The Northern Gateway sits between Heywood and Pilsworth and is one of the largest employment allocations in the country, benefitting from its strategically important position around the M60, M62, and M66 motorways.

The business case for the scheme, prepared by Pell Frischmann, estimates it has the potential to deliver almost 300 acres of employment space, 3,000 homes, and around 19,000 created jobs.

It represents a highly accessible opportunity for growth in Greater Manchester with wider benefits on a regional and national level, according to the Northern Gateway Development Framework.