Plans for £250m residential area revealed as first community conversation launches

Plans for a £250m housing development in Stockport will go out for public consultation.

Stockport Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC) and the English Cities Fund (ECF) have launched the first community conversation on the mixed residential neighbourhood to the west of Stockport town centre, currently known as Stockport 8.

Located on land either side of King Street West and next to the railway viaduct, the plans will reconnect the site to nearby neighbourhoods and the town centre, bringing life back to what was once a thriving residential neighbourhood under the railway arches.

The draft masterplan and concept sketches show the joint venture’s early thoughts for the next chapter in the story of Stockport’s revival.

They outline a high quality, walkable, green neighbourhood, combining all of the best attributes of the existing place with innovative placemaking ideas to deliver a vibrant new part of town for the people of Stockport.

It is envisaged the masterplan will include a mix of tenures including affordable homes, Build to Rent (BtR) and open market sale, which provide a number of investment opportunities. The masterplan features:

• Up to 1,200 high quality, energy-efficient homes that will bring existing and new communities together.
• New spaces for local businesses, start-ups and community facilities which complement the existing town centre offering.
• Outdoor and green spaces to promote health and wellbeing.
• A connected, walkable neighbourhood that is integrated into the wider town centre and surrounding communities.
• Improvements to the environment with a low car neighbourhood and energy-efficient buildings.
• A celebration of local heritage by opening up and creating inclusive public spaces around the iconic Stockport viaduct that can host a range of events, including markets, food festivals and live events.
• A fully accessible neighbourhood with car parking, car clubs and plenty of cycle parking.
• A place that embraces digital technologies and design innovation with great broadband speeds as standard.

Stockport 8 illustration

Joe Stockton, senior development manager at Muse (part of the English Cities Fund), said: “This is one of the largest town centre regeneration projects in the UK and it’s only right that the local community is at the heart of what we do. We’re excited to find out what local people and businesses want to see in the area to help us shape the plans and ensure there is something for everyone.

“We want to design a thriving, inclusive neighbourhood that will deliver the needs of the community now, and for generations to come, and that has Stockport’s independent spirit and character at its core.”

As part of the first community conversation on the emerging vision and draft masterplan, there are plenty of ways for people to take part and provide feedback, including:

• Attending a drop-in session on Thursday, February 1, 2024, 3pm-7pm at Edgeley Park, Hardcastle Rd, or on Saturday, February 3, 2024, 10:00am-3:00pm at Merseyway Shopping Centre, 54 Great Underbank (outside Specsavers), where the project team will be on hand to discuss the scheme.
• Sign up for an online Q&A at www.Stockport8.co.uk on Tuesday, February 6, 2024, 6:30pm-7:30pm where people can learn more about the plans and ask the project team questions.
• Complete an online questionnaire at www.Stockport8.co.uk
• Fill in a freepost questionnaire in the newsletter being delivered locally in February.
• Email: hello@Stockport8.co.uk
• Call 0800 689 1095 (Mon-Fri, 9:00am-5:30pm).
• Write to ‘Freepost HAVE YOUR SAY’ (no further address or stamp needed).
• Follow social channels – Instagram @stockport_8 | Facebook Stockport 8

A second community conversation is planned in the summer with submission of a planning application to Stockport Council expected in the autumn.

The Stockport 8 site is central to the wider £1bn investment currently being delivered across the town centre and is at the heart of the £500m Stockport MDC masterplan, which is aimed at transforming Stockport into the most sustainable, liveable town centre in the region over the next decade.

The 130-acre Stockport MDC masterplan will see the delivery of 4,000 new homes, alongside local amenities, green spaces, new workspace and radical transport improvements.

The full team is made up of Stockport MDC, developer The English Cities Fund, architect shedkm, landscape architects Planit, the planning team from Deloitte, and project manager Walker Sime.