Opposition councillors in Stockport have been left 'dismayed' that an area with major deprivation will not be part of massive regeneration plans.

Stockport town centre is undergoing a £1bn facelift led by the Stockport Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC).

This has brought new homes and businesses to the area, as well as major infrastructure upgrades such as Stockport transport interchange.

Much of the work has focused on the west of the town centre, but plans to expand the boundary of regeneration to the other side of the A6 have now been approved by Parliament.

It has opened the way for 8,000 homes to be built in Stockport town centre by 2040, the council said.

While it marks a major milestone for the town, it means areas such as Lancashire Hill will not be part of the change, because it sits just outside the town centre regeneration boundary.

Data published at the end of 2025 in the Indices of Multiple Deprivation revealed Lancashire Hill is in the most deprived part of Greater Manchester.

The Lancashire Hill estate towers, seen from Stockport town centre (Image - Nub News)

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Councillor James Frizzell, from Stockport Green Party, represents the Reddish South ward which Lancashire Hill is part of.

He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "While we are delighted that the Mayoral Development Corporation is being expanded, and we welcome the investment that will provide new opportunities for people to live and for businesses to flourish in the town centre, we are dismayed that Lancashire Hill has been excluded when it is so close.

"With huge funding coming into the MDC, and the government recently granting £20m to Brinnington, it feels as if all around there is positive investment in future prosperity, except where it matters most.

"Lancashire Hill is the most deprived neighbourhood in Greater Manchester, and it should follow that renewal and regeneration efforts here should be the priority of the council, Stockport homes and Greater Manchester Combined Authority.

"We make this point again and again, and will continue to do so until we get meaningful change."

Questions were also raised about how many of the 8,000 new homes for Stockport town centre would be at 'affordable' rates – which means homes priced below market value.

Cllr Christine Carrigan, leader of the opposition Labour group at Stockport council, said: "This expansion of the Mayoral Development Corporation marks an important milestone for Stockport's town centre.

"Regeneration on this scale brings huge opportunity, not just for new homes and offices, but for creating neighbourhoods where people can genuinely put down roots.

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"Although we support the MDC expansion, it's vital that its delivery focuses on genuinely affordable homes alongside homes for sale and private rent, so local people are not priced out of the communities they grew up in. Growth must be matched by investment in schools, health services and public spaces that support a thriving, mixed town centre."

A map showing the expanding boundary of Stockport's regeneration plans for the town centre (Image - Stockport Council)

Stockport Council and Stockport Lib Dems were contacted for comment.

The council announced on February 23 that the MDC boundary expansion has been given the green light by Parliament.

Speaking after the announcement, Stockport council leader Mark Roberts described it as a 'landmark' moment for the town.

He said: "This is a landmark moment for Stockport as we break the mould with our ambitious regeneration plans. We've been moving faster than prior legislation allowed, which underscores the scale of our vision for the town.

"Parliamentary approval to expand the MDC is a clear vote of confidence in what we've achieved so far and in our proven approach to town centre regeneration. Momentum is only building, with others now looking to our model as a blueprint for what successful town centre regeneration can achieve.

"With the boundary covering the whole town centre, we can accelerate delivery of new homes, jobs and opportunities that benefit residents across the borough. We're incredibly proud of what's been achieved already, and even prouder that we're only just getting started."

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham added: "Stockport has been a genuine trailblazer for the Mayoral Development Corporation model. It is showing what can be achieved when you work together with partners and use innovative powers to drive forward transformative projects and revitalise a town centre.

"With backing from Parliament to expand the MDC, Stockport is continuing to break new ground for urban regeneration.

"This is a blueprint for towns up and down the country to follow – and it's why this model is being rolled out to other places across Greater Manchester as well, so more areas can benefit from new homes, jobs, investment, and good growth."

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