A Partnership Agreement has been agreed between the partners committed to bringing forward the transformational Health Innovation Bolton (HIB) initiative.
The plans form part of Greater Manchester’s ambitious NorthFold growth corridor between Bolton and Wigan, and is a £1 billion catalyst project which puts health and wellbeing at the heart of a 700-acre economic and community development.
Designed to promote positive, healthy outcomes in the town, the HIB vision is centred around healthcare, sustainable places and wellbeing, particularly with consideration to the environments in which people live.
This new initiative is predicted to receive £520 million of capital investment, delivering around 200,000 sq m of employment, R&D and health floorspace alongside over 2,000 new homes. It is projected to generate £160m GVA for Bolton and £310m for Greater Manchester per year, once fully operational.
Anchored by a commitment to collaboration, the Partnership Agreement expands and updates a previous partnership agreement from 2021, following significant progress towards delivery.
Signing the agreement are: Bolton Council, Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, Bradford Estates, Peel Land, The University of Greater Manchester, Bolton College and facilities management business iFM.
HIB is rooted in Bolton, and offers opportunity for everyone within the town, while also carrying wider significance for Greater Manchester and the country. No comparable site in Greater Manchester offers the same combination of hospital adjacency, medical school and university proximity, and potential for a health-led innovation ecosystem.
A total of 4,500 direct on-site jobs are expected at HIB once the site is operational, of which 2,300 are expected to go to Bolton residents. HIB is the only location capable of delivering these outcomes for the town.
The partnership has a unique ability to engage, leverage and deliver a long-term programme of inclusive and co-located investment; while also supporting the wider sustainable growth of the local area, Bolton as a whole and Greater Manchester.
The agreement reflects the progress that has been made in developing the HIB vision and the commitment of partners to the project. Joint work on project governance, business plan, masterplan, delivery strategy and infrastructure has continued to progress through 2026. A joint development vehicle between Peel Land and Bolton Council is intended to be established to drive further progress. There will be further targeted conversations with potential partners and HIB partners going forward and a public consultation on the scheme will take place in 2027.
Bolton Council Leader, Cllr Akhtar Zaman, said: “Meaningful regeneration goes beyond bricks and mortar to create new opportunities and lasting improvements in people’s lives.
“Health Innovation Bolton is the perfect example of this by bringing new jobs and much needed homes to our borough, while also addressing the fundamentally unfair health inequalities that impact our communities.
“The scale and ambition of HIB are an ideal fit for Bolton’s ongoing regeneration and make it a key project in the transformational NorthFold growth location.”
Stephen Wild, Managing Director, for Peel Land said: “HIB is exactly the kind of transformational investment needed to address long-standing health inequalities and build on the world-class health and life science ecosystem across Greater Manchester and the wider North West. Healthcare in isolation has never been the whole answer – it’s housing, jobs, green space and connections that are so needed to drive alignment of health and social care needs with the environment. This is exactly why HIB brings a hospital, university campus, new homes, jobs and local business together to form a new neighbourhood.
“Signing this Partnership Agreement marks a significant step for a scheme that will put health at the heart of a new neighbourhood in Bolton. We’re extremely proud to be working alongside partners who share our ambition to create something special and unique here. Together, we’re creating a blueprint for health-led regeneration that will benefit Bolton and Greater Manchester for generations.”
Professor Fiona Noden, Chief Executive Officer at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust said: “Health Innovation Bolton is a unique opportunity to improve the health and wellbeing of future generations, not only here in Bolton, but across Greater Manchester.
“By bringing together healthcare, education, research and industry, we can help tackle health inequalities, create opportunities for local people and support innovation that benefits our communities.
“We’re proud to be part of this ambitious partnership, and look forward to it progressing to support the people of Bolton and beyond.”
Dr Greg Walker, Acting Vice Chancellor of the University of Greater Manchester, said: “This is a great opportunity to make a positive impact in the community and to align with key stakeholders for an important project which will benefit the whole of Bolton.
“The university, as an anchor institution and in particular with its medical school which has the potential to address the health inequalities and improve the health of future generations, is proud to be part of this development.”
