Can you help solve town’s housing and land shortage?

RESIDENTS in Stockport have been asked to help solve the borough’s housing and land shortage by suggesting sites that could be built on.

The council is asking for suggestions of brownfield sites that could be developed, mostly for new homes but also to create employment.

It comes at a time when the Greater Manchester spatial framework plan has caused anger by suggesting building on greenbelt in High Lane, Woodford and Cheadle and could be rethought.

And as recently as December last year 7,000 people were on the waiting list for a property with Stockport Homes.

Councillor Philip Harding, a member of the planning committee, said: “It is mainly for housing and it has always been the council’s policy to develop brownfield sites first if possible.

“But we are taking things up a gear and are calling for sites that the council may not know about. The council does not have a monopoly on knowledge.”

So far 370 sites in Stockport have been examined for potential redevelopment.

Building work is underway at locations including BAE Systems site at Woodford, Charles Street, Barnes Hospital, land at Mirlees Drive, Gorsey Bank and Stockport Exchange.

Sites are also being sought for leisure and retail developments.

The call will also go to Stockport’s various area committees to ask for further suggestions.

It is hoped the setting up of the council’s own construction company called Viaduct - will also help tackle the housing shortage. It has plans to build 421 homes in the next five years.

To submit a brownfield site email brownfield.first@ stockport.gov.uk.