Stockport Independent Issue 194

FREE YOUR LOCAL GOOD NEWS-PAPER FREE STOCKPORT www.independentnewspapers.co.uk ISSUE 194 OFFERTON • THE HEATONS • EDGELEY • DENTON BREDBURY • CHEADLE HEATH • HAZEL GROVE • CHEADLE HULME • HEAVILEY • MARPLE • REDDISH • ROMILEY • WOODLEY • HIGH LANE Looking for Flooring Inspiration? Let us help you find the perfect flooring for your home. With great advice, home styling, measure and planning service, plus quality fitting of top brands and designs, youwill be glad you did . Visit our showroom: Tuesday to Saturday or call 01260 224445 for a private appointment Thornycroft Farm, Pexhill Road, Siddington, Cheshire SK11 9JN ● Modern, Traditional & Luxury Carpets ● Natural Wood Flooring ● Laminate Flooring ● Stair Runners & Rods ● Luxury Vinyl Tiles ● Bespoke Rugs & Runners AMBITIOUS plans to cre- ate a £350million sustain- able neighbourhood in Stockport have been given the green light. Permission has been granted for Stockport 8, described by developers as “a new walkable and sustainable neighbourhood”, which will be one of the largest town cen- tre regeneration projects in the UK The 80-acre site is being delivered by The Stockport 8 LLP – a joint venture between Stockport Council and ECF – a partnership between Homes England, L&G and Muse. It is just one in a series of regeneration projects led by Stockport Mayoral Develop- ment Corporation (MDC) as part of ambitious plans to develop land west of the town centre, under the ‘Town Cen- tre West’ (TCW) scheme. The mixed residential neighbourhood, including 82 affordable properties that are part of its first phase, aims to breathe life back into what was once a thriving area under the railway arches. The plans will deliver around 1,300 new high-qual- ity homes aimed at exist- ing residents and new homeowners moving into the town in the next decade. There will be a mix of res- idential properties, including build-to-rent and owner-oc- cupier, with a range of sizes to meet the needs of differ- ent households, The development is also centred around vibrant public spaces where people can meet and relax outdoors, improving the wellbeing of residents, and with a pedestrian-only street running through the centre to encourage interaction. Stockport 8 sits at the heart of the MDC’s master- plan to transform TCW into the UK’s most sustainable, liveable town centre and is a key element of the wider £1billion investment currently being delivered. Detailed planning consent has been granted for Phase One and outline consent for the remaining phases. Phase One will deliver 435 homes in a mixed residen- tial neighbourhood. There will also be substan- tial public realm improve- ments, including the creation of a new public square next to the viaduct New pedestrian connections are planned through the site THE REGENERATION GAIN! Plans for new £350m neighbourhood approved Regeneration: A CGI of the new neighbourhood (Photo credit: Stockport Council) and the provision of dedicated cycle lanes along King Street West and Viaduct Street And there will be spaces for commercial and community uses at ground floor level that complement the existing town centre offering Biodiversity benefits will include new trees, green roofs and sustainable urban drain- age systems. The first phase is due to start on site next year and complete in 2028, with the next phase expected to get underway in 2029. Mark Roberts, Stockport Council leader, said: “This isn’t about old Stockport or new Stock- port – it’s about building a better Stockport for everyone. “Stockport 8 is part of the UK’s largest town centre regeneration, giving us a once-in-a-generation oppor- tunity to create a place that works for families, young people and older genera- tions alike. ● Continued on page two