The document discusses investment priorities in Stockport, including town centre regeneration, transport, education, and housing. For the town centre, major projects include Stockport Exchange which will bring new offices, retail, and parking, and Bridgefield which will include a new cinema and leisure facilities. Housing priorities involve working with developers to bring forward new developments, increasing the affordable housing supply, and regenerating areas like Brinnington and Woodford. The role of the local council is to support these plans through funding, taking risks on projects, and addressing challenges around housing delivery and empty properties.

1. Place North West
February 2014
INVESTING IN STOCKPORT
Paul Lawrence
Corporate Director
Place Management and Regeneration

2. Stockport – Investment priorities
• Town Centre Regeneration
• Transport and Infrastructure
• Education and Community Facilities
• Housing

3. Context
•Commitment to maximise Stockport’s potential as a
residential, commercial and retail location – one of the
strongest of the GM town centres and housing market areas
•To improve the offer of the town centre as a business,
residential, retail and leisure destination
•To capitalise upon our unique assets – historic
environment, connectivity, skills, attractive neighbourhoods
•To ensure sustainable economic growth

4. Role of the Council
• Understanding market intelligence to bring forward
deliverable, realistic yet ambitious plans;
• Taking an interventionist approach where necessary to do
the work the market might previously have undertaken;
• Pursuing new approaches to funding;
• Exploring how we can help businesses and other
organisations survive and thrive.
• Taking (managed) risks…..

5. TOWN CENTRE
• Stockport Exchange –
office- led scheme including
new 1000-spaces MSCP
plus 400,000sq.ft. of
commercial floorspace,
hotel, gym, parking and new
public realm
• Phase 1 now underway –
demolition, car park (open
Feb 14) and A6 highway
works
• Council funding (up to
£20m) approved for Phase
2 - hotel, offices and new
public realm around station;
to start on site in late 2014
STOCKPORT EXCHANGE - MASTERPLAN

6. TOWN CENTRE
• Bridgefield – £43m
borrowing approved by
Executive to deliver a leisure
led scheme to complement
Merseyway and boost evening
economy
• Includes a nine-screen
cinema, food and drink
outlets, shops and a new
400-space multi-storey car
park; also refurbishment of
the existing Debenhams store
• A cinema operator and food
and drink outlets will be
secured before the Council
progresses the plans
• Start on site scheduled for
2015

7. TOWN CENTRE
• Market & Underbanks –
Working with business,
organisations, agents and
owners to foster and cluster
creative industry and
specialist / independent
retail activity;
• Use of Council property
ownerships and potential
purchases/leases to assist
this e.g. MMU to open
studios/ business
incubation space here this
year; vintage goods market
hall proposal
• Work underway to improve
quality and diversity of the
Market offer

8. HOUSING
Background
•popular place to live – significant owner occupation (78%),
•high property prices
•housing need – houses sell
•challenges re choice of tenure/type in certain areas and
availability/deliverability of sites
•cross party support for more housing, more affordable
housing choice, and for increasing the role of the Council as
‘facilitator’

9. HOUSING
What we’re doing
•Working closely with registered providers within the
Stockport Housing Partnership and the Homes & Community
Agency
•Working to support and assist private developers at key
sites such as Dialstone, Heaton Moor, and Woodford
•Where possible, securing affordable housing as part of
wider mixed tenure development

10. Woodford
Joint venture between
Avro Heritage Ltd and
Harrow Estates/Redrow
Hybrid planning
application submitted
including outline for 805
dwellings & 90,000 sq ft
commercial floorspace,
primary school and open
spaces.
Full planning permission
submitted for 145
dwellings & associated
infrastructure.
Discussions ongoing
regarding affordable
housing & transport

11. Brinnington
Regeneration Plan
approved April ’13
focusing on housing &
new leisure facilities.
Countryside Properties
secured as development
partner
Planning application to
be submitted in early
2014 for approx 295
new homes across 4
sites and new leisure
centre.
Work on leisure centre
due to start Summer ’14,
opening Summer’15.
first homes due for
completion
Spring ‘16

12. Convent Garden/
Hopes Carr
Phase 1 – 46
apartments for social
rent completed and
fully occupied.
Phase 2 – ID4 Living
(Seddon). 41 houses
for open market sale
due to start on site
February ‘14.
Phases 3 and 4 –
Preferred developer
appointed – Eric
Wright/Your Housing
114 apartments/
houses for open
market sale/private
rent/shared ownership

13. HOUSING
Key challenges
•Bring more empty properties back into use
•Site identification/feasibility work – we need more deliverable
sites in sustainable locations
•Seek to identify ‘blockages’ and develop delivery proposals
•Bring forward sites through work with owners, land assembly,
possible change in planning status, and compulsory purchase if
required
•Consider proposals in the round – inc. financial implications
(Council Tax, New Homes Bonus) but also wider service impacts
•Take account of what’s going on around us – and co-operate…