Things looking up for town’s future
STOCKPORT’S skyline looks set to be transformed forever with the arrival of its tallest building.
Developers have submitted plans for a 22-storey tower for 184-apartments in the town centre.
At 66m it is taller than both Pendlebury Towers and Hanover Towers, which both stand at 61m and have been Stockport’s tallest since 1968 and 1969 respectively.
The tallest modern building is the Pyramid, completed in 1992, which at 36 metres is the equivalent of just 12 stories.
Combined with Stockport council’s forthcoming Town Centre Living Framework, which proposes 3,000 homes on six major sites, Stockport could be the next prime living spot, following the boom in Manchester and Salford.
Altrincham-based Urbanize Homes believes its 22-storey Platinum development, on the car park site at Piccadilly once occupied by Greenhale House, is ‘a shining new star gracing the Stockport skyline’ and ‘sets the tone for the future expansion of Stockport’.
Urbanize working with Manchester architect Spazio, plan a number of luxury duplex apartments on the upper floors as well as nine affordable units.
Sal Arya, director of Urbanize, which is also at work on apartment schemes in Ancoats, Fallowfield and Chorlton, said: “This will be the tallest building in south Manchester.”
The Town Centre Living Framework, which will be published in June, focuses on 40 acres of development in six residential sites to the west of the town centre, forming a corridor along the river Mersey and close to the railway station.
The largest site is around the railway station, which could support up to 790 homes, while the existing Stagecoach depot and offices along King Street West could have the capacity for 700 new homes.
To accommodate 700 units a tower would have to be more than 30-stories. But the council is remaining tight-lipped over specific proposals.
Paul Richards, Stockport council’s director of development and regeneration said: “The report is the first step in bringing forward a significant area of mixed use development to the west of the town centre.
“It is still evolving and is too early to discuss details of individual schemes or proposals.
“We have already had interest shown by a number of developers.”
Stagecoach said it has been working with the council for a number of years on a potential move - but there are ‘currently no confirmed plans to relocate’.
Meanwhile, Stockport Interchange could deliver another 200 units, in partnership with Transport for Greater Manchester and the council as freeholder.
The scheme has received in principle support from the £2.6m Housing Infrastructure Fund.
A further 100 units are allocated to a Chestergate/King Street site in private hands, whilst sites around the rail station could add another 790 units in the longer term.
Barriers to development are posed by the difficulty of assembling suitable sites.
Potential solutions include creating a mayoral development corporation — using powers granted to Metro Mayor Andy Burnham and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.
The privately owned Weir Mill is being proposed for 300 new units.
The council is working with consultants and the landowner at Weir Mill to bring forward proposals within two years.
A grant of £5.6m has already been approved from the Housing Infrastructure Fund.
The report to councillors concluded by requesting approval of: “The use of Compulsory Purchase powers, if required, for the delivery of key schemes within the Town Centre West Residential area, including Weir Mill to secure the HIF funding.”
The first small-scale town centre development has already begun.
Over the next 12 months, a partnership between Stockport council and Laurus Homes will convert the 15th century White Lion pub into 11 high-quality apartments above a new ground floor restaurant premises.
When complete, the £2.4m restoration of the Grade II listed building will feature seven onebed, three two-bed and one two-bed duplex apartments all set above a new restaurant, creating a modern place for people to live and visit in the heart of Stockport’s Underbanks, with links across the whole town centre.
Recently the council laid out its ambitious plans at the Town Centre Living Summit.
Councillor Ganotis, leader of Stockport council, said: “Town centre living is changing and the demand for homes in the heart of Stockport is continually growing.
“This is great news and presents significant opportunities for us right here, right now to continue with our development work, making Stockport a vibrant and popular place to live, work, play and connect 24/7.
“We want to make sure that we are in a position to capitalise on this demand and that Stockport becomes the leading town centre living location in South Manchester. At the Town Centre Living Summit we set out how we will work in partnership with investors, developers and the Mayor to accelerate our vision of new quality homes, amenities and open space for Stockport town centre.”
Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, who attended the summit, said: “Stockport’s impressive plans for redevelopment, as outlined in their Town Centre Living Summit, are mirrored by the council’s ambitious and innovative Town Centre Challenge nomination.
“We’re doing things differently here in Greater Manchester and I want urban areas across all 10 boroughs to benefit from increased investment and renewed town centre living, remodelling our proud towns for the future.
“Stockport’s plans demonstrate a clear and unambiguous ambition to become a key urban centre in South Manchester and, using my new powers as Mayor, I will lend my support in any way I can.”