Thank you for your interest in the role of Assistant Director for Economic Development and Regeneration – a key role for both the Council and the borough having regard to our aspirations for Bolton to be a thriving, investment-ready borough with a growing economy. Working within the Place Directorate, you will be a member of the Directorate Leadership Team but also the Councils Wider Leadership Team, reflecting the cross-cutting nature of the role and opportunity to work collaboratively across the Council but also with key partners to deliver our ambitions for the town.

Following the recent launch of our ambitious Borough Plan and Council Plan, setting a clear vision for the future, these are exciting times, marked by significant investment, development and regeneration across our borough, creating new employment and education opportunities, building upon the pride that our residents have in their town. The borough has a tangible sense of place, with many exciting cultural and leisure opportunities, including major national and international events such as the annual Bolton Food and Drink Festival, IRONMAN UK and Bolton Film Festival, as well as amazing cultural venues such as Octagon Theatre and Albert Halls.

With a population of 300,000, and a total of one million people living within just 45 minutes, Bolton has the second highest employee base in Greater Manchester and £4.6bn of economic output each year. Geographically, it is uniquely placed to benefit from the new Greater Manchester Trailblazer devolution deal, to take advantage of the economic opportunities in the Wigan-Bolton Growth location – ‘Northfold’, and to retain its strong historic and economic links with Lancashire to the North. Bolton has everything investors need to succeed. It is already one of the most digitally connected towns in the UK and benefits from strong local leadership, a strategic vision, a pipeline of talent and skills development, and great transport infrastructure. Mayor Burnham has offered his full support to the establishment of a new Mayoral Development Corporation for Bolton which we are confident will turbo-charge our regeneration plans and support our ambitions for the future.

Working closely with private sector partners, Bolton has already developed a £1bn investment pipeline to transform the town centre and drive growth and research by Deloitte shows that these projects can deliver 4,300 new jobs, 5,000 new town centre residents and £565m in GDV. Bolton is also investing in its district centres – the areas of Farnworth, Horwich, Westhoughton and Little Lever, each with their own unique heritage and identity, have received funding to meet the needs of residents and to address local priorities. Farnworth and Breightmet North are also recipients of Pride in Place funding, and the Council will be working with their respective Neighbourhood Boards to deliver key projects, as defined in their respective Investment Plans, over the next 10 years. Bolton is also building on its sector strengths, while working to identify new areas for growth. Major strategic employment hubs like Logistics North and Wingates Industrial Estate are leading centres for manufacturing and logistics, and home to many fast-growing companies. Wingates is also allocated under the recently adopted Places for Everyone – Greater Manchester Spatial Plan as a location to deliver 440,000 sq/m of additional employment space and the Council launched an ongoing consultation on draft SPD documents, which outline a plan to develop the 456-acre plot, potentially creating 6,000 jobs. ​This follows recent confirmation of £17.1m funding, as a component part of the £1bn Greater Manchester Good Growth Fund announced by Mayor Burnham in November 2025. Over the same period the Council is also consulting on the Emerging Local Plan for Bolton (Direction of Travel) – a Plan which sets out where new homes, jobs, community facilities and green space should go, and how the borough will grow up to 2042.

Development and regeneration projects have been prominent during 2025. With over £500 million of investment, landmark projects are transforming Bolton into a vibrant, sustainable destination. Crompton Place, our most ambitious scheme yet, will deliver a £200 million mixed use development, with demolition works scheduled to start in the early part of 2026 and work to appoint a Developer Partner moving to final stages. Church Wharf, a key gateway into the town Centre secured planning permission in October and will bring forward 415 homes, a hotel, and commercial space – phase 1 development works have recently started on site. We have also seen the Wellsprings Innovation Hub – an £11m refurbishment project – open its doors to innovative start-ups and expanding businesses, whilst the Deansgate Gardens and Moor Lane (Phase 1) developments have delivered new thriving communities at the heart of the town centre. Similarly, work has continued across our district centres with the transformational Farnworth Green development completing in 2025. One of the Greater Manchester “growth locations” NorthFold aims to boost the investment potential of areas between Wigan and Bolton with the two councils working collaboratively to improve transport infrastructure, build more homes, create new job opportunities and drive business innovation. Alongside regeneration of the town centre the Council is working with private and public sector partners to bring forward ‘Health Innovation Bolton – centred on the Royal Bolton Hospital and new £40m Institute of Medical Science, Health Innovation Bolton aims to bring together research and development space, healthcare, education, innovation, modern housing and new infrastructure. Similarly, Hulton Park will bring forward a world class golf resort with the ambition to secure the Ryder Cup in 2035 as the ultimate goal.

As Assistant Director – Economic Development and Regeneration, you will also lead our Economic Development team who continue to work alongside local and regional partners, and our business community, to promote Bolton as a place to do business. We have seen some notable investments in 2025, including multi-million pound expansion plans at MBDA, Asetemo and Sherwin Williams and are confident that 2026 will bring forward new and exciting opportunities. Bolton’s Economic Growth and Resilience Plan – a 10-year strategy adopted by Bolton Council in November 2024 – aims to foster long-term prosperity through three core themes and nine priorities centred on attracting investment, supporting business growth and enhancing community resilience whilst also responding to economic disparity challenges and advancing economic growth and prosperity across the borough.

Working within our Place Directorate, you will be joining a collegiate and committed team responsible for delivering a wide range of high-profile operational, professional and community services across our business and local communities.

Bolton is a friendly and welcoming place, where people enjoy living and our council reflects those values. We are committed to supporting a thriving borough – one where people want to live, work, study, invest, and visit. You will be appreciated and supported, within a leadership team that enjoys working together and delivering for Bolton residents. We have strong cross-party political support, and a Chief Executive who provides support and challenge. This is a great opportunity in a vibrant borough and Local Authority. I hope you share the same passion and energy for making a difference to our place and communities and value working in an organisation that understands the vital role played by private and public sector partners, and want to join our team

Our microsite hosts a range of information about the council, the role and Bolton, and colleagues at Gatenby Sanderson are available to explore this opportunity with you.

Jon Dyson
Director of Place