Council aim to ‘unlock’ land in town centre plan
STOCKPORT council is to use its power to ‘unlock’ town centre land in a bid to accelerate residential development.
The move is part of the authority’s regeneration plans to build thousands of homes in the area.
Future proposals include providing accommodation around the town’s new multi-million pound transport interchange.
The Kwik-Fit site under the viaduct, as well as the popular Crown pub, could be bulldozed to make way for flats.
An extra 790 homes could be built around the town’s train station and 700 more at the existing Stagecoach depot and offices along King Street West.
Coun Sheila Bailey, portfolio holder for communities and housing, presented the ‘Town Centre Living’ report to cabinet members on Tuesday.
She said the scheme was forward thinking and ambitious.
“In order to bring town centre living into Stockport we need a vision, good quality housing and to create a community supported by infrastructure,” she said.
“We propose to use a series of actions, including direct intervention.
“This council has demonstrated its capability on using direct intervention in order to achieve outcomes to benefit the people who live and work here.”
Coun Bailey continued: “The use of public sector powers to unlock land that may have not been available to us should be accessible so we can achieve our aims.
The authority stated its ‘Town Centre Living’ report would form a critical guide on how the area should be revamped.
The document will also form the council’s ‘vision’ on how housing development should meet the demand within the town.
The report stated: “The purpose of the document is to provide a strategy to enhance future residential development.
“Stockport is one of the most successful local economies in Greater Manchester and, with the role of town centres changing, there is now an opportunity to encourage development that creates a thriving, resilient and sustainable town centre.”
The document continued: “Stockport benefits from a rich historic culture and, with council intervention, has enhanced leisure, retail and commercial assets within the town.”
The council’s future plans are to encourage more ‘socio-economic’ groups to live in the town centre coupled with various housing styles to meet demand.
“Research indicates a capacity of 4,000 – 6,000 homes in the town centre, however this requires intervention to accelerate the programme of delivery,” stated the report.
“The council’s existing and future intervention in the town centre will continue to support its vibrant, sustainable and resilient community.
“However steps must be taken to attract the right type of development to ensure the future sustainability.”