Council chief defends offices scheme
Decision defended as offices and multi-storey car park approved for Stockport Exchange
STOCKPORT’S regeneration chief has defended the decision to press on with a scheme that will bring more offices and a new multi-storey car park to the town centre.
Top councillors gave the green light for phase four of the Stockport Exchange development at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday night.
Based near the train station it already boasts two office developments, a multi-storey car park and a 115-bedroom Holiday Inn hotel.
The new phase would deliver a 64,000-sq-ft office block and a new 400-space multi-storey car park.
But some have questioned whether further offices will be needed in the post-Covid era, with far more people are expected to work from home.
Critics also say plans to build another multi-storey car park are at odds with the council’s commitment to tackling climate change – which includes promoting greater use of public transport and encouraging journeys on bike or by foot.
Town hall bosses, on the other hand, say it is imperative to build on the economic success of Stockport Exchange to date.
Coun David Meller, cabinet member for economy and regeneration, has set out the case for moving ahead with the scheme.
“The time is now to do this,” he told a cabinet meeting on Tuesday last week.
“There won’t be a better time to do this in terms of supporting our recovery from Covid.”
He also addressed concerns the offices would become a white elephant in the post-pandemic world.
“The demand is absolutely there,” he said.
“If the demand weren’t there we wouldn’t be pressing ahead and doing this now. In terms of Grade A office space we are seeing businesses relocating and still wanting Grade A office space.
“At Stockport Exchange we can offer that on much better terms – on more affordable terms – than other parts of Greater Manchester – particularly the city centre.”
Coun Meller said chemical giant BASF’s decision to run its UK head office from the development was proof the development was a big pull for major multi-national companies.
“We are potentially having a lot more home working, but they are still going to need that base – and that’s why we are proceeding here,” he said.
On the subject of the proposed car park, he insisted it did not mean the council had forgotten about its green ambitions.
“We need to progress with this car park because of the previous planning permissions that have been granted, in order to provide the requisite parking,” he said.
“That’s not to suggest by any means that we are expecting cars to be piling in, or that we are taking our eye off active transport and public transport – that’s absolutely not the case.”
Coun Meller added that the parking would be ‘future-proofed’ with electric vehicle charging points throughout and the potential for solar power.
He also made the point that part of the new car park would also replace existing temporary parking available at the site.
The decision to proceed with phase four of Stockport Exchange was agreed by all members of the cabinet.