Stockport Council is looking to build a new 'eco business park' on the site of the Bird Hall Lane industrial estate. 

The development would see the demolition of the 'dated', 'under-utilised' existing buildings, and the construction of a new business park, which would deliver "exemplar levels of sustainability and environmental credentials".

With a particular focus on clean energy and low-carbon technology, the new park would provide around 115,000sqft of employment space, aiming to boost job creation, growth, and amenity improvements.

Council cabinet members unanimously agreed to progress with the park at a meeting yesterday evening (5 December). 

The scheme is already well into the design phase. A report to the Cabinet said a range of sustainable technologies and construction methods were being considered for the development.

The site for the new business park, highlighted here in red (Image - Stockport Council)

A planning application will follow shortly, with the project expected to begin in 2024 (although dates are indicative at this stage).

It is expected that the development could achieve a BREEAM rating of 'outstanding'; BREEAM is a rating system to measure sustainability and environmental performance of buildings.

£4.44m of the Cheadle Towns Fund will be used to deliver the park. The rest, a report says, "would be covered by prudential borrowing".

Cllr Mark Hunter, leader of Stockport Council, said: "I think [this] definitely shows that, once again, Stockport Council is leading the way on this. It is very much designed with future generations in mind. [...]

"I'm sure that other local authorities will be looking very closely at this scheme. And it's not pie in the sky - it's not a dream or an ambition - these are detailed proposals, as the report makes clear."

Similarly, Cllr Jilly Julian, cabinet member for finance and resources, said: "It is really exciting. It's lovely to see that we're getting to the point where we will start to see things progressing [...]

"I know residents are hungry to see what can happen with this site, particularly from a sustainability point of view."

Cllr Mark Roberts, cabinet member for climate change and environment, said: "I think it's absolutely great that Stockport, once again, is leading in this area: leading the way from a green economy perspective; leading the way in looking at how we can learn things for future developments…

"I can't wait to see what it looks like once the spades start going into the ground, and we have that jewel in the crown of our industrial units across Stockport."

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