by Nikki Staley
When Rachel Laver first stood alone in Rochdale Town Hall’s magnificent Great Hall, she admits she was unexpectedly emotional.
“I just looked around and thought, this is exquisite,” she recalls. “What an incredible asset to have.”
That moment captured exactly what attracted Rachel to her new role as Managing Director of Rochdale Development Agency (RDA). Beyond the investment, major developments and ambitious plans, she sees something even more valuable, a borough with remarkable strengths and enormous untapped potential.
After more than 20 years leading regeneration and economic development programmes across the country, Rachel has returned to what she loves most: helping places grow, businesses succeed, and communities prosper.
“I love regeneration because you can genuinely see the difference you’re making,” she says. “You create jobs, improve places and help people build better futures.”
She joins the RDA at one of the most exciting periods in Rochdale’s history. With transformational projects including Atom Valley, the Northern Gateway, Middleton’s regeneration programme and the Sustainable Materials and Manufacturing Centre (SMMC), Rachel believes the borough is perfectly positioned to attract new investment while supporting the businesses already calling Rochdale home.
Yet for Rachel, success isn’t measured simply by new buildings or headline announcements.
“It’s about making sure local people benefit from every opportunity,” she explains. “We want young people to believe they can build successful careers here. We want businesses to have access to the skills they need. We want talented people who leave to study to see Rochdale as somewhere they want to return to.”
Creating that future means bringing the right people together.
Rachel describes the RDA as a connector, helping businesses, investors, education providers, local authorities and partners work towards shared ambitions.
“We’re here to listen,” she says. “The more we understand the challenges businesses face, the better we can help. Sometimes our role is making introductions, sometimes it’s unlocking funding, sometimes it’s influencing policy. Often it’s simply bringing the right people around the same table.”
Innovation will be central to that ambition. Through the SMMC and collaborative programmes already supporting manufacturers, Rachel believes businesses of every size can become more productive, embrace new technologies and improve sustainability while strengthening their competitiveness.
Just as important, she wants Rochdale’s success stories to become better known. “There are businesses here doing extraordinary things, supplying global industries and developing world-class products, but too many people simply don’t know they’re here. We need to celebrate those businesses and help them connect with new opportunities.”
Rachel also believes Rochdale offers something increasingly rare: room to grow. Excellent transport links, affordable commercial space, high-quality housing, beautiful countryside, rich heritage and proximity to Manchester create a compelling proposition for businesses, investors and families alike.
“We’ve got fantastic foundations,” she says. “The challenge now is making sure more people discover them.”
Looking ahead, Rachel hopes her legacy will be measured not only in completed developments, but in stronger businesses, thriving town centres and communities that feel the benefits of long-term investment.
“If, in five years’ time, more businesses are choosing Rochdale, more people are building their careers here and our town centres are thriving, then we’ve done our job. Ultimately, everything we do is about creating opportunity and improving quality of life for the people who call Rochdale home.”
