The base build of the Sustainable Materials and Manufacturing Centre (SMMC) at Kingsway Business Park in Rochdale has been completed, Rochdale Development Agency (RDA) announced on 12 October 2026.
The 30,000 sq ft centre is the first major building in the Atom Valley Innovation District, a 25-acre hub for advanced materials and manufacturing. Work now moves to specialist fit-out, and the centre is due to open in 2027.
The building has received £15.2m from the UK Government’s Towns Fund and £5.8m from the Greater Manchester Investment Zone. The next phase of the innovation district has a further £16.4m from the Local Innovation Partnerships Fund, delivered through UK Research and Innovation, with The University of Manchester as lead delivery partner.
RDA led the physical development, working with Greater Manchester Combined Authority, The University of Manchester and other partners. The centre will give advanced materials and manufacturing businesses access to specialist space, facilities and expertise through the Centre of Expertise in Advanced Materials and Sustainability (CEAMS), which RDA set up in 2023 and which has supported more than 90 companies.
Independent analysis forecasts that the centre will generate £107m of economic value over ten years, a 2:1 return on public investment, according to the release.
“The building completion of the Sustainable Materials & Manufacturing Centre is fantastic news for Rochdale residents,” said Councillor Daniel Meredith, portfolio holder for regeneration and housing at Rochdale Borough Council.
More on development across the city region is in our property section.