Signals on green for new Cheadle rail station after £14m funding approved

A new railway station and eco business park for Cheadle is a step closer after the Government approved funding of £13.9m as part of the Towns Fund scheme.

Plans also outline improved walking and cycling routes in Cheadle as part of the project.

The station will be complemented by a north-south cycling and walking route that will link Cheadle to its High Street and the proposed station.

Also, as part of promoting green growth, Cheadle will benefit from Towns Fund cash to support the development of a new eco business park on Bird Hall Lane.

This will provide new opportunities for businesses and jobs growth in modern high quality industrial units using state of the art eco technology to minimise its carbon footprint and to generate local energy.

Sharon Seville, Interim chair of the Cheadle Town Board, said: “We have worked tirelessly to bring this investment into Cheadle to help release its fantastic potential.

“There are still more hurdles to jump, but we are all looking forward to the delivery of these game changing projects over the coming years. I am especially excited about the opportunities a new eco business park will bring to the borough and the sustainability template that it could set for future developments.”

Leader of Stockport Council, Mark Hunter, said: “The council, has supported these projects from the off, and it is great to see that we can start to turn plans into reality. I see these projects as benefitting the whole of Stockport for generations to come.”

Mary Robinson, local MP, also on the board, said: “This is a great day for Cheadle and it’s fantastic to have secured this funding from the Government. A new station will plug Cheadle into the public transport network and help to address local congestion. I’m so pleased that the station can now start to be brought forward.”

The station will feature a single 100m-long platform with covered waiting facilities, live departure boards and ticket machines, as well as covered parking for cycles, electric vehicle charging points and provision for disabled users.

Work continues to obtain all consents and detailed agreements. The station is expected to be built in phases, completing by 2025.

The cycle route will connect to wider cycle routes on Manchester Road and in Abney Hall Park and complements other improvements to promote healthy and clean travel options. Work is planned to start later this year.

Cheadle Eco Business Park will provide around 110,000 sq ft of high quality employment space that will act as an exemplar for low carbon technologies and clean energy production on an industrial park.

This will support the council’s CAN Climate Action Now ambitions. The park will also accelerate the green business sector, providing jobs for the future. Initial stakeholder engagement and market research has recognised strong demand for such employment space. Detailed feasibility and design work will continue over the coming the year to secure the consents and additional investment to bring the scheme forward.

Before work can start, each scheme is subject to the required consents being obtained and detailed agreements.