All the Tameside developments coming in 2026

Thousands of new homes and the regeneration of five town centres are all in line for 2026 in Tameside.

For many years Godley Green Garden Village has been at the epicentre of envisioned developments for the eastern Greater Manchester borough. But the 2,150-home scheme is set to be but a mere footnote at the start of the new year.

With the majority of their towns set to be given a makeover through set masterplans, town centre redevelopment is destined to be Tameside’s tale of 2026.

Despite this, in terms of scale Godley Green is still one of the largest plans coming to the city-region in the coming years.

The vision for ‘Godley Green Garden Village’ would see the development split into two halves by Godley Brook, each with its own centre, including up to 1,300 sqm of retail space, 1,600 sqm of commercial and 1,000 sqm for community use. In addition to 2,150 homes, green spaces, play areas and ‘biodiversity enhancements’ are included in the proposals.

The scheme is due to go before Tameside council’s planning panel in January, where it could get the next sign-off – meaning building work would become even closer to reality.

Over the course of the year, more milestones are set to be reached on two of the council’s biggest town centre projects in Stalybridge and Ashton. Stalybridge is undergoing public realm remodelling whereas Ashton is getting a new canopy to replace its outdoor market and a rejuvenated market hall.

Hyde, Denton and Droylsden can also expect some updates on their masterplans throughout the year. Hattersley recently benefitted from £20m in Pride of Place funding – with decisions on how to spend that due to be shaped.

Here is a breakdown of each Tameside redevelopment scheme…

Ashton

Many taking a stroll through Ashton town centre over the course of 2025 have been met with a building site on Market Square. A cash injection of £20m from the Levelling Up fund, secured by the council, will see three major projects brought to life in the area.

Where the old market stalls previously sat has been bulldozed as workers erect a large canopy containing 10 market kiosks.

The new covering will provide outdoor market traders with protection from the weather and is expected to become a hub for events and cultural activities.

The building site used to house 104 fixed market stalls and eight kiosks. This is a costly project at £14.6m, but the canopy is not the only scheme underway in the area at the moment.

Just next to the square, the market hall will get some titivation and creative spaces as well as additional food and drink offers. Work will start on the market hall in summer.

According to town hall chiefs, they want to be on the ‘front foot’ to meet the changing demands of locals following a steady decline in retail options. There is a long-term hope to refurbish the inside of the historic Ashton Town Hall by 2030 as well.

Just behind Arcades Shopping Centre from Market Square is the last piece of the Levelling Up puzzle. The old bus station site became redundant after Ashton Interchange began operating on Wellington Road in August 2020.

The local authority spent £1.8m acquiring the site and demolishing what was left before they carry out the last of the remediation works in Autumn this year. The land would then be made available for redevelopment options.

Stalybridge

In Stalybridge, the Civic Hall roof works have been completed and further internal works are ongoing.

Just next door, planning consent has been granted for access improvements at Astley Cheetham Art Gallery & Library, with further permissions requested for new lift. These two buildings will form the jewels in the crown for what is envisioned for the town.

Civic squares will be regenerated and the road network will be overhauled as part of a multi-million pound vision for the town. Armentieres Square, which is bisected by the Huddersfield Narrow Canal, would act as a centrepiece to the plan – hosting an event space with a stage complimented by new seating and tree planting.

A volunteer garden, improved street lighting and further aesthetic features are all set to become a mainstay in the area. Market Street would be re-established as the ‘gateway’ into Stalybridge with new paving and wider walkways for people – ‘creating a welcoming and joyful pedestrian-focused corridor’.

After council bosses in Tameside gave the nod to the £4.7m plan in June 2024, things have now moved forward. The idea behind the scheme is to prioritise pedestrians and improve the appearance of the public squares.

It is hoped work on the public areas will be complete by spring 2027. But before that, progress is expected for the new pedestrian and cycle bridge.

The new bridge over the River Tame would connect Water Street and Caroline Street in the western edge of the town centre, which has been primed for redevelopment. The council submitted a planning application recently, hoping to get approval by February with the hope to get moving in September.

The area around the train station is also destined to welcome new housing, improved roads, public realm upgrades, and a new multi-storey car park under a £11.1m scheme to give Stalybridge’s western edge a facelift. The idea behind this is to deliver regeneration of the town centre, attract further investment, and deliver vital new housing around a vital transport hub.

Denton

A bold new vision to make Denton ‘a greener, safer, and more vibrant town’ was approved by town hall bosses in December. A cash injection of £16.8m is set to transform the Tameside town by the end of the decade.

Just under £3m of this government funding has already been earmarked for the Festival Hall regeneration alongside repairs to Denton Town Hall. Queen Street is one of the many corridors of the town targeted to become ‘greener streets’, with civic spaces also in line to be rejuvenated by climate-resilient planting and landscaping.

The first phase of improvement works are due to be delivered by March 2026, underlying the council’s commitment to progressing the transformation of the town.

According to the local authority, the proposals have been shaped by extensive community engagement, with residents prioritising improved transport, youth facilities, safety measures, and green spaces.

The vision, developed by leading urban design specialists Planit IE working with the council’s strategic growth team, proposes a series of transformative projects on Denton’s public spaces to improve the town’s connectivity.

Additional funding from Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) will also be put into the plans.

This cash will contribute to the enhanced walking and cycling routes, with over 1.1km to promote active travel; child-friendly school streets and a more accessible town centre; and revitalised town centre streets such as Manchester Road and Market Street, creating welcoming spaces for businesses and visitors.

Delivery of the work will take place in phases through to 2028. The council is also actively seeking to secure further funding to help expand the programme in order to fully realise the vision for the town’s future.

Droylsden

Droylsden has been waiting for change for years, and locals shouldn’t have to wait too much longer for that dream to become a reality.

In spring 2025, a vision to transform the fabric of the town was finally signed off. Although progress on the project has gone quiet in recent months, an update on how the iconic Concord Suite building would be transformed under the scheme is anticipated in the coming months.

Tameside’s closest area to Manchester city centre was seen as having disconnected neighbourhoods, underutilised spaces, poor quality public realms and no clear gateways.

The Droylsden masterplan was designed to rectify those very issues holding it back. With key infrastructure such as Metrolink already operational, there is belief among planners that it can undergo ‘transformational change’ and become a go-to spot for locals and punters from further afield.

Junction and road improvements to the A662, which bisects Droylsden, as well as the installation of active travel routes to promote walking, cycling and wheeling are just one aspect of the plan. This would help locals move throughout the town easier, but there are six key projects being designed to help to ‘revitalise the town centre and attract people to use it more sustainably, more often and for longer’.

The crown jewel amongst these plans would be the Hollinwood Canal Park. This would re-establish a north-south connection between the Marina and the retail core.

Next to where Tesco and Droylsden Shopping Centre currently sit, a new centre park and active travel route would be created along the old alignment of the canal. This will provide access between local amenities and create a people focused, safe route, the council says.

This lack of pace is a concern repeatedly mentioned by Droylsden representatives at full council meetings. But in September, land around the marina where Droylsden Library and adjacent Lock Keepers site lies was sold off by the local authority in order to unlock a new housing development.

Hyde

In 2024 the Hyde masterplan – which would see the town change beyond recognition – was approved. Since then there has been little movement and there is hope 2026 could change that, despite no signs coming out of the council.

A repurposed town hall, the overhaul of Clarendon Shopping Centre, creation of a more attractive public realm and a redesign of the markets are all touted in the plan. The masterplan captures how the town could be redeveloped over the next two decades.

The shopping centre itself would be the most significant changes proposed on the plan with a key aim being to demolish it. This would then make way for a new shopping development which would rehouse the indoor market.

The public realm upgrades to Market Square will prioritise the use of the square for cultural events, festivals, pop-ups, and placemaking activities that bring vibrancy, excitement, and diversity to the town centre.

The idea behind this is to link the newly refurbished shopping centre and Market Square to the town hall, just across the road. This goes towards one of the masterplan goals of making Hyde Town Hall a ‘regionally significant cultural destination’.

The residential aspect of the masterplan has moved forward through the former Hyde Library scheme. The Victorian building off Union Street, which opened in 1899, will be converted into 102 apartments across three blocks.

Hattersley

Hattersley was only announced as a ‘Pride in Place’ in September, so plans are still in the early stages.

Both Ashton and Hattersley are earmarked for £20m funding each from the government’s Pride in Place programme. The scheme would see both areas regenerated, bespoke to their individual needs.

The Pride in Place Programme is a major initiative to create safer, healthier, and thriving communities across the UK. How the cash is spent is up to the local community, so the funding goes directly where it’s needed most.

The local authority is currently exploring options on what Hattersley can benefit from, which is expected to come to light as 2026 goes on.

What the council says

Coun Eleanor Wills, leader of Tameside council, said: “Tameside is shaping a bold future where connectivity drives prosperity. We are on the brink of a transport-led transformation that will deliver sustainable economic growth, create thousands of jobs, build skills, and breathe new life into our town centres.

“We’re not just regenerating Ashton, Stalybridge, Hyde, Denton, Droylsden and Hattersley—we’re also unlocking council land to deliver new social and affordable homes across the borough. Residents told us loud and clear: they want spaces to call their own, active involvement in shaping their towns, and tangible results, and that’s exactly what we’re delivering together.

“From the Ashton Mayoral Development Zone to the landmark Godley Green Garden Village, these projects will create vibrant towns, build skills, support businesses, and forge greener, smarter, and more inclusive communities that inspire pride and prosperity for generations to come.”