Regeneration company New East Manchester has promised “hundreds of millions of pounds” will be invested in the area during 2009.

Eddie Smith, chief executive of New East Manchester, said this year would see the start of some major projects bringing “very significant levels” of public and private sector investment to east Manchester.

This would include the site intended for a regional casino, which will be replaced with something creating “thousands of jobs,” he said.

Smith said “exciting” proposals for the site would be announced in spring.

“The scale of the development planned is anticipated to be very significant,” he said, “with investment of hundreds of millions of pounds, bringing the potential for thousands of new jobs.”

“Greggs will have their new GBP 16m North West headquarters and bakery in Openshaw fully operational by March, reinforcing the security of 300 east Manchester jobs.

“Work will also be starting in early summer on the new GBP 40m Openshaw district centre, with a Morrisons supermarket, shops, offices and a new health and fitness centre that together are expected to create 750 new jobs.

“Manchester Settlement’s new GBP 2.2m community centre, The New Roundhouse, will also open nearby this year.”

Construction work will also start this year on extending Greater Manchester’s Metrolink tram system, including investment of more than GBP 200m on two new lines through east Manchester.

Smith also cited The East Manchester Academy, a GBP 31.5m project just underway in Beswick which aims to be a centre of excellence for everything relating to the built environment. It will also provide a new district library for the east Manchester community.