Land owned by Emirati-linked firms in Greater Manchester rises 39% in a decade
Emirati-linked companies held 101 hectares across Greater Manchester in 2026, with sites including the Etihad Stadium and three hospitals.
Companies linked to the United Arab Emirates owned 101 hectares of Greater Manchester land in 2026, up from 73 hectares in 2016.
The 39% increase in area accompanied a rise in the number of land titles, from 51 to 168. The holdings include the Etihad Stadium, homes in Ancoats and New Islington, and hospital sites in Cheadle, Rochdale and Bolton.
Who owns the sites?
Companies belonging to Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan accounted for two-thirds of the Emirati-owned land in 2026. At least 34 titles were held through one of his companies.
Most of the growth over the decade came from other UAE-based businesses. The Abu Dhabi government held 15 titles, largely acquired through its purchase of Circle Health Group. These include Alexandra Hospital in Cheadle, Highfield Hospital in Rochdale and Beaumont Hospital in Bolton.
Property developer Mohammed Ahmad Aldallal owned buildings worth at least £10m across Bolton, Oldham and Manchester. They included Oldham’s Grand Theatre, which he demolished in 2025 for an 11-storey block of flats.
Regeneration and public spending
University of Sheffield researcher Prof Jonathan Silver criticised the city-region’s dependence on international finance, saying the growing property holdings raised “major concerns about the fragility of the ‘Manchester model’ and its reliance on attracting flows of international finance, whatever the cost”.
Manchester city council leader Garry Bridges defended regeneration in Ancoats, describing the neighbourhood as previously derelict and largely abandoned. Bridges said: “To suggest that the story has been anything but positive from a regeneration point of view is ludicrous.”
A separate Guardian examination of public contracts found Greater Manchester public bodies spent £84.4m with ultimately UAE-owned firms between 2016 and 2026. NHS spending on Circle Health Group accounted for 85%. Manchester city council spent £6.3m with UAE-backed companies, with more than half going to Manchester City Football Club.
The land analysis used Land Registry and Companies House records. It covered UAE-based companies and businesses whose beneficial owners were the Abu Dhabi government or Emirati nationals based in the UAE. It excluded land held directly by individuals.
