HOMES ARE BADLY NEEDED

SARA Moor’s letter in last week’s Your Views unfortunately does not accurately reflect my position or that of Stockport council.

The homes which will be provided in the town centre as part of the interchange scheme will not be ‘non-affordable’ but rather homes for market rental where there is demand for and shortage of this type of quality home.

The town centre, as with all parts of the borough, needs a balance of all types and tenures of new homes to meet the diverse demands of residents.

The Interchange development will create a different type of home as part of a state-of-the-art transport interchange, a new two-acre green park and a walking and cycling link from the train station to the park, the riverside and into Mersey Square.

This is the start of our bigger plan to provide a significant number of quality new homes in the town centre over the next 15 years which will include more affordable provision, together with the amenity provision to support this, of which the park on the interchange is just the start.

We recognise the need to provide more affordable housing across the wider borough and we have planning policies in place to ensure that this is specifically provided in the places of greatest need, in conjunction with the work we are doing with Viaduct and Stockport Homes.

Last year an estimated 40 per cent of all new homes delivered in Stockport were shared ownership or affordable rent with an even greater number forecast in 2018/19.

We are committed to providing the homes that people need whilst protecting and enhancing the quality of life for all existing and new residents of the wider borough. Councillor Alex Ganotis, leader of Stockport council