Greater Manchester has spent the last decade building momentum. Now, according to newly elected Mayor Bev Craig, the focus needs to shift from ambition to delivery.

Speaking at Place North West’s Greater Manchester Development Update, Craig outlined her vision for the city region over the next decade, placing economic growth, infrastructure, housing and closer collaboration with the private sector firmly at the centre of her plans.

For Manchester’s property market, that could have significant implications.

From ambition to delivery

Craig’s message was clear: Greater Manchester has already established itself as one of the UK’s leading growth regions, but the next stage is about turning long-term plans into tangible development.

“We’ve had a lot of words in the last decade and a half in Greater Manchester,” Craig said. “The next decade and a half is about delivery.”

That means continuing to unlock development, investing in infrastructure and creating the conditions for businesses, residents and investors to thrive.

It is a particularly important point for the property sector. Manchester and the wider Greater Manchester region continue to attract significant levels of residential and commercial investment, but sustained growth depends on the infrastructure and housing needed to support an expanding population and economy.

Infrastructure will be key

One of the biggest priorities highlighted by Craig was infrastructure.

She argued that Greater Manchester cannot continue to grow at its current pace without significant improvements to its transport network, highlighting the constraints currently faced at Manchester Piccadilly.

For property investors, this is more than a transport issue.

Connectivity has a direct relationship with property demand. Areas benefiting from improved transport links, new employment opportunities and investment in public infrastructure can become increasingly attractive to both residents and businesses.

This is one of the reasons regeneration across Greater Manchester continues to create opportunities beyond the traditional city centre core.

Housing at the heart of growth

Housing will also play a major role in Craig’s plans.

Greater Manchester has set an ambition to deliver 50,000 council and social homes by 2039, with 10,000 either built or having planning permission by 2028.

While the focus is on affordable and social housing, the wider objective is clear: Greater Manchester needs to deliver significantly more homes to accommodate future growth.

That creates an interesting backdrop for the private residential market.

As employment grows, infrastructure improves and more people move into the region, demand for well-connected homes is likely to remain an important part of Manchester’s property story.

A stronger partnership with the private sector

Perhaps most significant for developers and investors is Craig’s emphasis on collaboration.

She described the relationship between Greater Manchester’s public sector, universities, businesses and private developers as fundamental to the region’s success, and said this partnership needs to be strengthened further.

The £2bn Good Growth Fund is one example of this approach, with funding intended to help address viability challenges and unlock development.

For the property industry, closer collaboration between the public and private sectors could help bring forward schemes that might otherwise struggle in a more challenging development environment.

What does this mean for property investors?

Greater Manchester’s growth story is no longer simply about Manchester city centre.

Investment is increasingly being driven by major regeneration projects, new neighbourhoods, improved connectivity and the expansion of employment hubs across the wider region.

For investors considering Manchester, the key question is therefore not just where the city is today, but where it is heading over the next 5, 10 or 15 years.

The developments taking shape today are part of a much bigger picture.

From Victoria North and Holt Town to regeneration across areas such as Salford, Trafford and Stockport, billions of pounds are being invested into transforming Greater Manchester’s built environment.

If Craig can deliver on her ambition to accelerate housing, infrastructure and economic growth, it could further strengthen the fundamentals underpinning the region’s residential property market.

Manchester’s next chapter

There is still plenty to overcome. Infrastructure constraints, development viability, housing delivery and the wider economic environment will all influence how quickly Greater Manchester can turn its ambitions into reality.

But the direction of travel is difficult to ignore.

Greater Manchester has spent years establishing itself as one of the UK’s most important regional economies. The next challenge is turning that momentum into long-term, tangible growth.

For property investors, that makes the next decade particularly interesting.

The opportunities may not simply lie in what Manchester has already become, but in the places and neighbourhoods that are being transformed right now.