Paul Richards, the deputy chief executive at Stockport council who helped drive the town centre's revival, is leaving in November to lead regeneration plans in east Birmingham, saying he has no regrets and departs with a heavy heart.
Mr Richards, who grew up in Timperley in Trafford and visited Stockport frequently as a child, first joined the council in 2017. He became the first chief executive of the Stockport Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC) in 2019 and was appointed deputy chief executive in 2024. The MDC, a partnership between Stockport council and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, was the first of its kind focused on regenerating a town centre and has been hailed as a blueprint for revival across the UK.
Major projects delivered
Under the MDC, key developments include Stockport Exchange, where over 2,000 people now work in new offices, and Stockport Interchange, a bus depot nicknamed 'The Tissue Box' for its unusual shape. Over a decade ago, Stockport had one of the highest rates of empty shops in the UK; now it is seen as a destination with a growing number of independent shops, bars, cafes, and restaurants, with footfall bucking national trends.
Mr Richards' departure comes as the council advances its £2bn regeneration plans, with key figures promoted internally to continue the progress. In his first interview before leaving, he told the Manchester Evening News: "What we set out to do over that 10 year period is just bring pride back to the town and make people feel really proud about being a resident and living and working in Stockport." He added, "It doesn't always appear that way and you can't please all the people all the time but that's absolutely what we have tried to do."
Leadership style and reflections
Mr Richards, who previously worked at Natwest, Orange, and in property, was described by a colleague as 'quite a bullish character', which was 'absolutely necessary' to get things done. Another praised his business background, saying, "You do need someone who can actually count and remember what stuff costs." On a personal level, he was described as 'just very kind' and supportive.
Reflecting on his tenure, he said: "The bullish thing comes from having a really clear end point. How do we get to this? It's dead easy to let problems get in the way, dead easy to say it's just too hard but we've never taken that position." He added, "There were days that were tougher than others. It sounds a bit hackneyed but it has been a real privilege to have been involved in this. I'm grateful. My overwhelming sentiment isn't pride. It's gratitude I've been able to play a part in this and as I've said, I leave with a really heavy heart because there's a lot of me in Stockport."
Addressing gentrification concerns
Regarding fears of gentrification and rising prices, Mr Richards argued the regeneration benefits everyone, citing plans for a new town centre station, promises of Metrolink, the Stockroom library, improved bus services, new jobs, shops, affordable and social housing, and free family events. He said, "We just need that range of things. If all we were doing was building market products in the town centre, I could take that argument a little bit more about gentrification but that's not all we are doing." He added, "All you can do is put the right ingredients in the cake. What comes out of the oven is a bit out of your hands."
On the viaduct views being obscured by new developments, he said new homes, restaurants, bars, a new park, and public spaces are upsides, and doing nothing to protect the view would not have been the right solution. Drawing a comparison to the Washington Bridge in Dumbo, New York, he said, "It works for New York. Why wouldn't it work for Stockport?" Asked about regrets, he said, "The cards you get dealt are the cards you've got to play. Could things have gone quicker? With hindsight, there's always things you could have done differently." He concluded, "We've had a pretty good go and there's loads more to come. This isn't the end. God no, far from it."
