Oldham Council Prepares £20M Highways Framework for Greater Manchester Projects

Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council has issued a pipeline notice for a proposed £20 million highways and civil engineering framework aimed at supporting future transport and infrastructure improvements across north east Greater Manchester.

The planned framework, titled the Active Oldham Strategic Partnership Agreement, is expected to provide a long-term procurement vehicle for a range of highway improvement and civil engineering projects delivered on behalf of the council.

According to the notice, the framework could operate from April 2027 through to March 2031, with the option to extend until 2035. The estimated value of the programme is £20 million excluding VAT.

While the procurement remains at an early pipeline stage and is still subject to internal approvals, the announcement provides an early indication of Oldham Council’s intention to establish a longer-term delivery arrangement for highways and infrastructure works across the borough.

The council said the framework is expected to cover a programme of typical highways improvement projects delivered under NEC4 Engineering and Construction Contract arrangements, reflecting the continued use of collaborative and target-cost contracting models across the public sector infrastructure market.

At this stage, no formal tender has been issued and the authority has confirmed that the final procurement route has not yet been determined.

The framework is expected to support a range of future highways and civil engineering activities and may also include elements of associated goods and service procurement alongside construction works.

The notice highlights potential opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), suggesting the framework could create opportunities for regional contractors and local supply chain businesses operating within Greater Manchester and surrounding areas.

Frameworks of this type are increasingly being used by local authorities to improve procurement efficiency, create longer-term supplier relationships, and provide greater flexibility when delivering maintenance and improvement programmes across local transport networks.

The proposed framework also reflects wider investment pressures facing local highway authorities as councils continue working to improve road conditions, active travel infrastructure, drainage systems, junction upgrades, and wider transport resilience projects.

Across the UK, many councils are increasingly seeking longer-term delivery partnerships to improve programme continuity and support more strategic approaches to asset management and infrastructure investment.

The use of NEC4 contract models within the proposed framework also aligns with broader industry trends favouring collaborative delivery structures, early contractor involvement, and shared risk management approaches on public infrastructure projects.

Oldham Council said the framework remains subject to governance approvals, with a formal tender notice currently expected to be issued in July.

If progressed, the framework is likely to attract interest from regional civil engineering contractors, highways specialists, and supply chain partners seeking access to long-term local authority infrastructure workloads across Greater Manchester.