Next stage of regeneration gets the OK
PLANS for the next stage of the £145m Stockport Exchange development - containing 60,000sq ft of office space have been approved.
The council project, being built with partner Muse, will now press further ahead with a six-storey building after a planning and highways committee gave the thumbs up.
It is the beginning of the third in eight phases for the commercial development that will ultimately lead to 375,000sq ft of offices, 28,000sq ft of retail space and landscaping opened up to the passing A6. The council has predicted that all this work will be finished within the next decade.
Councillor Kate Butler, executive member for economy and regeneration, said: “Planning approval for the next stage of Stockport Exchange is another great step forward in continuing the transformation already underway in Stockport.
“It will bring more new jobs and opportunities to our town. The quality of the development and Stockport’s position as a leading business location has seen Stockport Exchange quickly establish itself as a popular location for companies.”
The first two phases at the town centre site have been completed and there is now a 115-bed Holiday Inn Express, pedestrianised public space outside the train station, a 1,000-space multi-storey car park, a Sainsbury’s store and 50,000sq ft of office space.
This was all completed by December 2016 and phase three is expected to begin in the summer, with estimated completion in spring 2020.
By this point the council predicts 650 jobs will have been created by the Stockport Exchange development. The work is part of a £1bn council investment programme across the borough.
Wes Erlam, development director at Muse, said: “Securing planning approval is great news and means we can progress our plans for delivering a second office building at Stockport Exchange.
“Given the shortage of grade A office space in Stockport and South Manchester, this development means we can provide an unrivalled offer, bringing more businesses and jobs into Stockport town centre.”
Among occupiers already at Stockport Exchange are musicMagpie, which has its UK headquarters there and transport company Stagecoach.