The Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) has approved the next phase of Stockport's massive transformation, a move that will 'drive the delivery' of 3,500 homes over the next five years. The plans also include starting construction on a new town centre school and health hub.
Key Targets by 2031
By 2031, Stockport aims to make significant progress on the redevelopment of the town's train station and advance the business case for expanding the Metrolink tram system to the borough. These efforts are part of a broader £2bn regeneration project with a target of delivering 8,000 homes by 2040.
Brownfield First Approach
Stockport council, led by the Liberal Democrats, has adopted a 'brownfield first' approach to housing development, prioritizing the use of previously developed land. The business plan for the future of Stockport town centre was approved by GMCA bosses on July 7 and will next be adopted by the Stockport Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC).
Role of the Mayoral Development Corporation
The MDC was established by former Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham as a regeneration partnership between the GMCA and local leaders. Stockport was the first borough in Greater Manchester to receive an MDC, and in February it became the first such corporation to expand following parliamentary approval.
Lord Gavin Barwell, chair of Stockport MDC, said in the foreword to the business plan: 'This plan, which has been put together by our outstanding team of officers and approved by both the MDC's board and Stockport council's cabinet, sets out how the momentum we have developed will be sustained while we scale up.'
Comprehensive Development
Lord Barwell added: 'We will bring forward thousands of new homes alongside transport infrastructure (including Metrolink), public spaces and the social infrastructure that communities need including a new school and a health facility. Together these investments will ensure that the benefits of what we do in the town centre are felt not only by those who already live there or move into the new homes we build, but across the whole borough and beyond.'
