With a Town of Culture accolade and billions of pounds of development, it is no secret that Stockport town centre is becoming, as The Sunday Times said, 'one of the coolest little corners of the country'. 

Falling under the Town Centre West programme umbrella are a myriad of new apartments, retail areas, transport buildings and more.  

Over the next 15 years, the masterplan will see the creation of up to 4,000 new homes, 1 million sq ft of new employment space, major public transport improvements, new green space and local amenities. 

Here are some of the headline projects to keep your eye on. 

Stockport Interchange

The interchange will host 168 buses per hour across 18 stands (Image - Alasdair Perry)

Even the most fleeting visitor to the town centre will have seen this remarkable travel interchange take shape, sat squarely between the viaduct and Wellington Road South.  

The mechanised riot of cranes and vehicles is visible from trains passing along the viaduct, as is the distinct oval design of the interchange itself.  The accompanying block of 196 apartments - recently topped out - towers above.

Both the interchange and this 14-storey apartment building are expected to be completed in Spring 2024. 

The travel interchange will accommodate 168 buses per hour across 18 bus stands, and there is room for a Metrolink service should plans materialise in future.

Work began on the bus interchange and residential building in August 2021, following the demolition of the old bus station on the banks of the Mersey.  

"This iconic 10,000 sqm regeneration scheme will be covered by a remarkable two acre landscaped park and connected to a newly opened up area of the River Mersey, creating an accessible riverside area open to the public", according to a statement on the Stockport Mayoral Development Coporation (MDC) website. 

This rooftop park will bring new green space to the town centre, and a piece of artwork has been commissioned for completion by artist Tim Ward. 

A new bridge, lifted into place in February, will link the interchange to the railway station and the Stockport Exchange commercial hub. 

The project is being delivered by Transport for Greater Manchester, Stockport Council, and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, in conjunction with contractor Willmott Dixon.

As for the accompanying block of apartments - according to Stockport Council: "All 196 apartments, comprising of 126 two-bed and 70 one-bed properties, will be available to rent once completed. Residents will also have access to a shared garden area."

Stockport 8

Plans for this new neighbourhood comprise around 1,000 homes, along with retail space and more (Image - Stockport Council)

This project may currently be less visible than the interchange, but is no less exciting for that. 

Stockport 8 is one of the largest town-centre development projects in the UK, let alone Greater Manchester.  

Plans involve the construction of a new 'digitally enabled', green and fully walkable neighbourhood just west of the viaduct, with around 1,000 new homes, alongside retail, leisure, and office space.

Stockport Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC) last month announced a long-term joint venture with The English Cities Fund (ECF) to develop the eight-acre site in the town centre.

Together they will invest over £250 million to transform the site on the west side of the viaduct. The new site will be adjacent to the historic bridge, merging modern Stockport with the stalwarts of its industrial heritage. 

The planning application for Stockport 8 is expected to be delivered in 2024, with the first phase of development anticipated to take place in 2027.

In an optimistic statement about the project, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said: "This new site offers an exceptional opportunity to be part of one of the leading regeneration projects right now, not only in Greater Manchester but across the UK. 

"Stockport is already one of our best-connected business locations, with fast transport links to Manchester, Birmingham and London, and the transformative plans being delivered by the MDC and its experienced partners will secure its future as one of the best town centres in the country to live."

Weir Mill

The historic Weir Mill will be revitalised for a new age in this project (Image - Stockport Council)

This industrial rehabilitation will see the historic Weir Mill building transformed into a 250-home apartment complex.

Further still, the site will see the construction of two new-build blocks, along with retail space for bars and businesses.

This £60 million project will revitalise the ageing mill - which started life as a water-powered cotton works in the 18th century - whilst preserving its character and history. 

Developer Capital & Centric outlined their vision for "a new gateway into the town centre, with ground floor spaces for shops, cafes or delis and bags of lush greenery".

The developer adds: "The striking entrance is a mix of old and new, and is your first peek into the historic courtyard. The trans-pennine way cycle path runs alongside so each apartment will have a place to store their bikes.

"The riverside public square overlooks the River Mersey and is the perf close up viewpoint to the town's iconic viaduct. It'll be a place to kick back in the evening sun or eat top scran in the restored Wheelhouse."

Foundations for the new apartment blocks were laid in February this year, with completion eyed for 2024. 

Lord Bob Kerslake, Chairman of the Stockport MDC, said: "The work Capital & Centric is undertaking to revive this historic building is vital in enabling us to create much-needed new town centre homes and giving underutilised spaces back to the community.

"The arrival of the cranes just months after work on site began last year, demonstrates the pace at which work is progressing, and the MDC's continued commitment to the delivery of the Town Centre West masterplan. 

"[...] Stockport is already being dubbed one of the most exciting towns to live in the UK, and the culmination of these developments will enable Stockport to set a new benchmark for town centres, not just in the Greater Manchester region, but across the UK."

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