All over Greater Manchester, development is bringing this great Northern region into a new tomorrow. With steadfast efforts being made at the local government level to turn Manchester into a truly global city, there’s a simultaneous effort to bring surrounding towns and cities in the Greater Manchester area up with it.
This ever-ongoing effort to modernise and develop the towns and cities of Greater Manchester is the focus of our new series of blogs playfully entitled, “Meet the Place”. A series of three, we’ll be focusing our efforts on Stockport before moving our attention to Manchester Central and then Salford.
In these blogs, we’ll be looking at these great Northern places through the lens of renaissance and our experience in these settings. In particular, we’ll be looking to understand the big marquee developments in each region and what the future looks like (spoiler alert, it’s bright).
Stockport
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll have seen that Stockport has been undergoing somewhat of a renaissance itself. Although the transformation has been quietly happening for a long time, It’s only in recent years that the new vision for Stockport has started to come to fruition and attracting the attention it deserves.
Shedding its image as a satellite town, Stockport is moving into the future through regeneration and strong vision. This strategic effort has been driven by a mix of public and private initiatives, with key leadership from the Stockport Mayoral Development Corporation (SMDC).
The SMDC was set up to guide and accelerate the town’s growth, providing Stockport with the autonomy to steer its own course and the power to deliver an ambitious vision for the future of Stockport town centre.
The foundations for change
Before the founding of the MDC, it was clear that the leadership within Stockport was already active in pushing for change and a brighter future for the area. This activity acted as the precursor to the wide-ranging regeneration we see across the town today.
When the SMDC was established, it became a conscious vehicle for that preexisting vision and ambition for Stockport but it was by no means the first effort of its kind to start thinking that way. What it did do, was bring together a host of different stakeholders with the power to effect change and implement a strong plan for Stockport.
Key projects in the continuing evolution of Stockport
With the rich variety of distinct developments happening across Stockport, it would be a challenge to capture every facet and equally difficult to succinctly outline the journey sequentially.
That being said, we’ve put together our journey, capturing our work highlights in Stockport. Each of the following has had a part to play in the regeneration of Stockport, contributing to the town’s evolving identity in its own way.
These are projects that we’ve had a hand in as civil and structural engineers, so you can think of it as a biased list. However, all of these projects are fantastic exemplars demonstrating what’s possible with commitment, vision and considered design.
Stockport College
As we see it, the redevelopment of Stockport College marked the first in a series of transformative changes within the town. Far from just an isolated development, it was the first major initiative in what would become a progressive path of development.
As a prime example of adaptive reuse fuelled by local leadership and a vision for change in the local educational provision supported by Trafford College, the project took the well-known college campus and delivered transformational change that modernised facilities and enabled the college to significantly enhance its educational offerings. On top of this, it contributed to the community’s broader aspirations for growth and development.
All in all, this project was a clear demonstration of the town’s potential, showing both public and private sectors that Stockport was a place worth investing in.
White Lion:
This project took an old public house with listed status and sympathetically converted it into a prominent residential development with some commercial units, highlighting Stockport’s ability to adapt its historic assets for modern use.
The success of the residential aspect of the White Lion was a powerful demonstration of the town’s potential to draw people back into its core, reversing the trend of decline that had plagued many similar towns across the UK.
What’s more, with the commercial aspects of the project, the White Lion represents a broader effort to revitalise Stockport’s commercial scene. As we have seen across the other developments in recent years, this is a growing movement to bring commercial footfall back into Stockport.
All in all, the White Lion offered a great example of how Stockport can leverage heritage assets to foster growth.
Fletcher Street:
An ongoing project, Fletcher Street is yet another example of Stockport’s investment in regeneration but also provides deeper insight into the complexities and ambitions of development in the town.
A long-term piece that has been building traction over time, Fletcher Street is the ambition of David Fairclough from Progressive Living, who purchased the site some time ago and has been working on bringing it to life since.
A key part of the development is a joint venture with “Picture This”, a recently established responsible residential developer. Together, they will establish Fletcher Street as an inclusive living environment that prioritises community.
This approach goes beyond the simple bricks, mortar and commercial aspects of development and straight to the heart of what makes a place where people want to live. The approach the partnership has taken is community-focused, fostering a sense of belonging, community engagement and sustainable viability.
This approach is fundamental if we’re to make Stockport an attractive destination for people to live. Thoughtful, community-orientated living spaces that focus on inclusive living and long-term sustainability are a huge boon for any town and will serve Stockport well going forward.
Merseyway
Award-winning and astute, the Merseyway project demonstrates how a small development can have a big impact.
Garnering attention and recognition in the form of A British Council for Offices award, this relatively modest development is a great case study of the many smaller developments going on throughout the town.
While other large projects like the Stockport Interchange might get the big headlines (more on that later), the steady flow of smaller developments has an equally positive effect on the regeneration of Stockport, particularly those delivered with such quality as is evident at Merseyway.
At its heart, the Merseyway project was about taking a mid-20th-century retail development and revitalising it for more contemporary needs. This included everything from upgrading the physical infrastructure and carving the façade to improve daylighting and providing a fully accessible commercial space for small business use.
The vibrant, modern commercial space that resulted from the Merseyway project has had a positive impact on the area, enhancing its attractiveness with the wider regeneration work being undertaken in this retail quarter.
The Stockport Interchange: A Game Changer
And now to the one you all knew was coming.
It’s fair to say that the Interchange project is the big high-ticket behemoth you think of when you think of development in Stockport. With the project now finished, it can be thought of as the best example of just what’s possible when people come together to determine what transformational change should look like for their community and town.
It’s difficult to undersell the significant effect of the interchange project. The benefits are wide-ranging and extreme.
- It provides beautiful public green open space
- It connects the bus interchange with the train station above, linking Stockport with Manchester and other Northern powerhouse cities
- It provides high quality accommodation in the large residential complex
- It provides a suite of quality retail outlets, adding to the commercial power of the town
- It provides a cycle ramp connecting the park to the Mersey cycle route, enabling and supporting carbon-friendly active travel in the town and surrounding area.
Of all the projects transforming Stockport, the interchange stands out as a true game changer. A collaboration involving Transport for Greater Manchester (TFGM), City Heart, and Stockport Council it’s brought a modernity and contemporary aesthetic to this location.
With it now complete, Stockport, its backers like the MDC and contractors like us have a great opportunity to kick on with the same fervour and zeal, continuing to bring Stockport into the future one transformative development at a time.
Engineering a new sense of place
For our part, we’ve worked diligently on all of the above projects, bringing our expertise to the table to ensure all projects meet the brief and realise the vision our clients have for them.
Wherever the project, we always work with diligence and take pride in the end result. That applies whether it’s here in the North West or further afield.
That being said, there’s something especially gratifying about being part of a large regeneration project right on your doorstep. Stockport is a proud place with a storied history and we’re happy we can be a part of telling that story through the tastefully built interventions taking place across the town.
There’s still a lot in store for Stockport with much more development planned. We have many more equally interesting projects that we’re currently working and we’ll be sure to bring these to you in a Meet the Place Stockport part 2 article when they’re ready!
