Work underway on £4m Hyde retail and leisure development bringing new store and gym

Work underway on £4m Hyde retail and leisure development bringing new store and gym

10 March 2026

Work has started on a new retail and leisure development on the southern edge of Hyde in Greater Manchester, after planning permission was granted for the regeneration of a vacant former car dealership site.

The award-winning development company Dransfield Properties is working with a team of local contractors to transform the 0.42-hectare brownfield site at the junction of Stockport Road and Dowson Road. The development will bring new facilities and employment opportunities to the area in a key location. 

The scheme represents an investment of around £4m and will deliver two new commercial units including a Sainsbury's Local convenience store and a new fitness facility operated by PureGym. The gym will include a mezzanine level to maximise the available space. 

The site was previously home to an Audi dealership, which closed in March 2025 as part of a wider network rationalisation. 

Rather than demolishing the existing building, the scheme will repurpose and refurbish it to create modern retail and leisure space. The new Sainsbury’s Local will occupy around 395 sq. m (4,250 sq ft), while PureGym will take approximately 746 sq. m (8,025 sq. ft) including its mezzanine level.

The redevelopment will also include 72 parking spaces, EV charging bays, and space for a car wash and parcel lockers.

The project is expected to create up to 35 permanent jobs once the businesses open, including retail assistants, management roles, fitness instructors and support staff - exceeding the 20 jobs lost when the dealership closed. The construction phase is also supporting local contractors.

The plans were approved in February by Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council following pre-application meetings in June 2025 and the submission of the full planning application in October 2025.

Work is progressing well on site and the new businesses are expected to be open and trading by June 2026. 

Mark Dransfield, Chairman of Dransfield Properties Ltd, said: “This is an exciting opportunity to bring a disused site back into active use and provide valuable new facilities and jobs for the local community.” 

“We’re pleased to be on site, delivering a high-quality development that will benefit the area and create a fantastic and convenient new local store and gym for residents.”

Sheffield-based Dransfield Properties Ltd was founded in 1992 and specialises in retail-led regeneration schemes, particularly in market towns and district centres across the UK. The company’s headquarters is at Fox Valley, north Sheffield, where it actively manages a nationwide portfolio of mixed-use developments.

In addition to major town centre projects, the company also delivers standalone retail, leisure and residential schemes.

Dransfield Properties is known for its strong community ethos and a proven track record of working in partnership with local councils, community groups and stakeholders to create well-managed, sustainable places that meet local needs.

Images show: an artists impression of the completed development and work underway this month on site. 

For further information, contact:

Public Relations Department, Dransfield Properties Ltd
Tel: 01226 360644
Email: pr@dransfield.co.uk