Purpose

To present the final version of the Stakehill Local Industrial
Decarbonisation report and to set out the next stages of
implementation including the Strategic Outline Business
case

Content

The Cabinet considered a report of the
Director of Economy and Place, which sought approval of the final
Stakehill Local Industrial Decarbonisation Plan (LIDP).
 
The Climate Change and Sustainability
Project Manager was in attendance to present the information and to
address the questions and the comments of the Cabinet Members.
 
Resolved:

1.   
That the final Stakehill Local Industrial Decarbonisation Plan
(LIDP) and the proposed next stage of the project to develop a
Strategic Outline Business Case (SOBC) be approved;

2.   
That it be noted that the Director of Economy and Place has
approved acceptance of the £75,000 GMCA Growth Locations
Revenue Funding grant under delegated authority, with the decision
notice published on the 3 July 2025. Early approval was necessary
to procure consultants for the SOBC work, which must be finished by
December 2025;

3.   
That £25k match funding for the SOBC from the Climate Change
Fund be approved;

4.   
That the Director of Economy and Place be granted delegated
authority to enter into the grant agreement subject to due
diligence having been undertaken.
 
Reason for decision:
Rochdale’s Climate Change
Strategy aligned the target for achieving net zero with targets set
out in the Greater Manchester Environment Plan to bring CO2
emissions to net zero by 2038.
Department of Energy Security and Net
Zero (DESNZ) territorial emissions data for 2022 showed that
industrial emissions represent around 13% of the borough’s
total carbon emissions.
Industrial estates had a critical role
to play in support of the drive to net zero. As major centres
driving production and consumption a large proportion of carbon
emissions come from infrastructure or operations that take place on
industrial estates.
The Stakehill LIDP provides a template
and potential pathway for decarbonisation of industrial estates and
locations across the borough.
 
Alternatives considered and
rejected:
Without additional funding, the
recommendations set out in the Stakehill Industrial Estate LIDP
could not be implemented. The next stage of the work would be to
develop an SOBC to support future investment decisions for
decarbonising Stakehill.
 
A decision about future funding
settlements, including those relating to supporting UK industry to
decarbonise, were subject to the government’s Comprehensive
Spending Review, which was announced on 11 June.
 
Following the Spending Review
announcement, it had been decided that there would be no further
extension of the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund
(IETF)  and no successor fund to provide either
capital grant funding, or funding to decarbonise local clusters, to
UK industry. The Industrial Strategy had set out plans to support
British industry to thrive on the global stage, and seizing the
opportunity presented by the clean energy transition is at the
heart of this plan.
 
Further grant funding had been sought
from a number of sources including the North West Net Zero Hub
(NWNZH) to support the development of the SOBC. However, GMCA had
approved the grant funding for the SOBC from the Growth Locations
Revenue Funding 2025/26. The work was required to be completed in
the current financial year.