Stockport Independent Issue 204

JUNE 2026 2 No part of this publicationmay be used or reproduced without the express permission of the publisher. Every effort is made to ensure that the articles and advertisements that are carried are authentic, however the publisher accepts no responsibility for claims made. © Investors in Publishing Ltd 2026. This newspaper is publishedmonthly by Investors in Publishing, Publishing House, 3 Bridgebank Industrial Estate,Taylor Street, Horwich, Bolton BL6 7PD. 01204 478812 EDITOR Mike Hulme mike@independentnewspapers.co.uk CONTACT JayneMeadowcroft 01204 478812 07703 045189 jayne@independentnewspapers.co.uk ADVERTISING Robin Atkins 07767 840274 robin@cheshireindependent.co.uk CONTACT US 10/06/2026 Town and Country Planning (Development Mangement Procedure) (England) Order 2015 NOTICE UNDER ARTICLE 13 OF APPLICATION FOR PLANNING PERMISION Proposed development at: Land adjacent to 34 Church Lane, SK7 1RQ. Take notice that application is being made by: Mr Abbas Javan For planning permision to: Permission in principle for the erection of 1 dwelling. Anyone who wishes to make representations about the above application(s) should write, within 21 days of the date of this notice, to Stockport Council, Planning Services, Place Directorate, Stopford House, Piccadilly, Stockport, SK1 3XE. STOCKPORT War Memorial Art Gallery will once again host its popular Stockport Open Exhibi- tion this summer, celebrating the town’s vibrant creative community. Running until Thursday 27 August, the exhibition will showcase works submitted by both emerging and estab- lished artists from across Stockport, and beyond. Artists are being encouraged to sub- mit a piece they are particularly proud of, with opportunities available for cre- atives working across a wide range of disciplines. The exhibition will feature work from visual artists, sculptors, photographers, textile artists, digital designers, poets, jewellery makers and crafters. Submission guidelines can be found on the Stockport Council website. The artwork will be displayed in the Upper Gallery, East and West Galleries and the Artlink at the War Memorial Art Gallery on Wellington Road. Visitors to the gallery will be vot- ing for their favourite artworks in the People’s Choice Awards. There will be prizes in both the Adult and Children categories including the Michael Hart- ley-Rose Young Person’s Award, which is presented by Stockport Art Guild to a Young Artist aged between 17 and 25. All prizes and awards will be pre- sented at the People’s Choice Award event at the gallery on Saturday 15 August, by the Mayor of Stockport. STOCKPORT NHS Foundation Trust’s pathology department has now completed its ‘go-live’ with a new laboratory information sys- tem enhancing the processing of millions of patient test results. The new laboratory informationman- agement system (LIMS) system from Clinisys improves the way in which lab- oratory results are reported , leading to faster patient diagnosis and treatment. The system has now been success- fully launched with laboratory blood sciences, following the introduction with microbiology and cellular pathol- ogy services last year. Over 9.5 million tests are carried out in the hospital’s laboratories each year to help support the diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of conditions. A LIMS system enables the managing, tracking, analysis and sharing of this information to support patient care. The new system allows greater inte- gration with other systems and ulti- mately supports quicker turnaround times getting results to colleagues more swiftly, both with internal clinical col- leagues, and with partners such as GP practices. They have been supported with the new system by the Greater Manchester Pathology Network; one of the largest pathology networks in England which serves an estimated 2.8 million people. Stockport NHS Foundation Trust has joined with three other trusts in the network; Bolton, Tameside and Glossop Integrated Services, and the Northern Care Alliance, in implement- ing the new system. This major system upgrade has meant close working between the trust’s pathology department, clinical and digital colleagues, as well as with local GPs, to ensure the new system has been implemented with disruption kept to a minimum. Mark Gordon, Stockport NHS Foun- dation Trust Pathology Operational Lead said; “Following the launch with cellular pathology and microbiology last year, it’s fantastic to see the new LIMS now completely live in blood sciences. This is a significant step forward with the digital infrastructure of the labo- ratory in line with the national NHS digitalisation goals and will further benefit the adaption of full digital inte- gration for Pathology.” Arguing the case for the new school, the planning applicant said that the current buildings on-site were ‘outdated’, and ‘not fit for purpose’. “The existing school’s constraints significantly limit the potential for refurbishment or adapta- tion”, they said. “The delivery of a new, purpose-built facility is therefore necessary to provide a safe, modern and policy-compliant learning environment that meets current and future educa- tional needs.” The capacity of the new building will be about the same as the current school capacity – that is to say, around 420 mainstream pupils and 28 Special Education Needs students. With this in mind, the applicant argued that there would be no mate- rial difference to levels of traffic in the area once the new school was finished. A decision on the plans is due from Stockport Coun- cil in July. AFTER 41 years dedicated to caring for others as a nurse, Joe is embark- ing on an exciting new journey – one that continues her passion for help- ing people transform their lives. Throughout her nursing career, Joe saw first-hand the impact that good health can have on confidence, wellbeing and quality of life. She also understood that lasting change only happens when people feel supported, understood and empowered to succeed in a way that works for them. Those same values are what drew her to Slimming World. Joe’s own weight-loss journey was not without its challenges. Facing health issues that could easily have stood in her way, she made the decision to prioritise her own wellbeing. With determination, commitment and the support of Slim- ming World, she successfully lost more than 2½ stone. The experience gave her far more than weight loss. It restored confidence, improved her health and proved that even when life presents obstacles, pos- itive change is possible. Today, Joe is proud of what she has achieved – but even more excited about helping others achieve their own goals. “Having experienced the journey myself, I understand the challenges peo- ple face;” says Joe. “I know how impor- tant encouragement, understanding and support can be. Slimming World gave me the tools and confidence to change my life, and now I want to help others do the same.” Slimming World is about so much more than losing weight. It’s about creating healthier habits, building self-belief and becoming part of a supportive commu- nity where nobody has to go it alone. As Joe relaunches her Hazel Grove group, she hopes to welcome people who may be taking their first steps towards a healthier future—or return- ing to continue a journey they’ve already started. Whether the goal is improved health, increased confidence, more energy or simply feeling happier in their own skin, Joe believes everyone deserves the oppor- tunity to succeed. “Joe is proud of what she has achieved—and believes you can be too.” Hazel Grove Slimming World Relaunch is on Wednesday, July 1 at Hazel Grove Social Club and then every Wednesday at 5.30pm and 7pm. If you’re ready to make a change – or simply thinking about it – Joe would be delighted to welcome you to her friendly and supportive group. l Turn to P4 for SlimmingWorld advertisement From nurse to Slimming World consultant: A new chapter of caring AdvertisingFeature NEWS IN BRIEF ONE thousand instances of anti-social behaviour, suspicious activity, crime and more have been reported in the last seven months through the Bee Network’s LiveChat feature. The feature, which is managed by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and Transport for Greater Manchester, allows Bee Network passengers to report incidents they see on public transport directly to trained handlers. The scheme is called ‘TravelSafe’, and was introduced in October 2025. REDDISH and the Heatons has seen a rise in theft from motor vehicles, police report. Vehicles which are unlocked have been targeted during the night, and items inside have been stolen. Greater Manchester Police has warned residents about the increase, advising that people ensure their vehicles are fully locked and that any valuables have been removed from inside. THE Anson Engine Museum in Poynton has reopened and will stay open until the closing weekend in October. The programme is: 21st June – Father’s Day; 19th July – Small Engine Rally; 30th- 31st August – Bank Holiday; 20th September; 24th – 25th October – closing weekend. A NEW Barclays bank is opening in Stockport’s Merseyway centre. The bank will be based in the covered mall, on the site of what was formerly the YMCA charity shop. The new Barclays is expected to be open from Monday to Saturday from 9am- 5.30pm. It will feature an ATM outside, and a range of facilities inside including private consulting offices, a waiting area, and staff rooms. New laboratory system goes live Open Exhibition returns to Art Gallery PRIMARY SCHOOL REBUILD Plans have been submitted for a complete transformation of Moorfield Primary School in Hazel Grove (Image: Supplied) PLANS have been sub- mitted for a complete rebuild of Moorfield Primary School in Hazel Grove. The proposals com- prise the demolition of existing school buildings, and the construction of a ‘safe’ and ‘modern’ facility along with new play areas and landscaping. The new school would be amixed two- and one-storey building, and there would also be a newMUGA pitch. There would also be nature trail and forest school, a relocated memo- rial garden, and an out- door library. In the meantime, modu- lar temporary classrooms would be provided for the students, and a temporary car park would be set up on land to the north of Lynd- hurst Avenue. Subject to planning approval, works are sched- uled to start in Autumn 2026, with the school expected to be completed by November 2029. To advertise in the Independent, contact Robin Atkins on 07767 840274