If you’re building your career, life or business in Manchester, the latest announcement from Mayor Andy Burnham is one you won’t want to miss. Greater Manchester is launching a £1bn ‘Good Growth Fund’ — a bold move designed to transform the city-region into a modern, fair and opportunity-rich environment.

So, what does this actually mean for you?

What Is the Good Growth Fund?

Backed by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), the fund is launching with a pipeline of more than 30 regeneration projects across the region. The goal? To deliver long-term, inclusive economic growth that directly benefits the people who live and work here.

Key outcomes from phase one include:

  • Plans to allocate £400 million to the first wave of projects
  • Nearly 3,000 new homes
  • Over 22,000 new jobs
  • 2 million+ square ft of new employment space

The city is backing innovation districts, revamped town centres, commercial lab spaces, and new residential neighbourhoods — all focused on future-facing industries and communities. The ambition? To bring a further £38bn into the UK economy by 2035.

The city-region’s leaders are set to approve the first round of funding allocations at an upcoming GMCA meeting, with a second wave of project funding due to be announced in March.

Why This Matters to Young Professionals

Manchester has always been a city of opportunity — but this is deliberate investment into your future.

1. Better Places to Work

With expanded employment space and sector-specific investment (creative industries, science, tech), the fund is accelerating job creation in the kinds of places young professionals want to work.

2. Smarter Living

More high-quality, well-located housing means better chances of finding a home that suits your lifestyle and commute — without compromising.

3. A More Connected City

Beyond buildings, these projects aim to deliver improved transport links, walkable neighbourhoods, and infrastructure that makes city living easier and more sustainable.

4. Vibrant Communities

Young professionals value more than just work. With cultural investment and design-led development, the goal is to build neighbourhoods where people want to stay, grow and build a life — not just pass through.

What to Watch

While the full list of projects is still being rolled out, some of the key areas of focus include:

  • Innovation zones around Oxford Road and fringe city districts
  • Town centre transformations in places like Prestwich and Stockport
  • New-build neighbourhoods blending living, working and social space

Co-Founder of MYCOM Group, Rich Tyrrell, Shares His View

“As someone who has built both a career and a community in this city, I see the Good Growth Fund as a real signal that Manchester is investing in us all. For the young professionals of Manchester, it means that the belief in their energy and ambition will grow, along with hopefully creating a city where young professionals can thrive, connect and enjoy big futures!”

MYP’s Take

At Manchester Young Professionals, we’re here to connect our community to opportunities — social, professional, and now structural. This fund signals a vision for a city where young professionals aren’t just accommodated, but actively empowered.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on these developments and sharing the ones most relevant to our community, whether that’s:

  • New jobs
  • New places to live
  • New spaces that spark connection and creativity

Because growth isn’t just good when it’s big — it’s good when it works for the people shaping the city’s future.

That’s you.