Development principle 1: people first and community
The Strategic Regeneration Framework (SRF) focuses on strengthening physical connections such as walking and cycling, creating positive new public spaces linked to green/blue infrastructure, and ensuring the mix of uses and affordable housing addresses both existing and new community needs. New neighbourhoods will be planned with the right mix of amenities and services from the outset.
Creating successful places goes beyond just homes, requiring comprehensive social infrastructure to support all ages and improve life outcomes. This includes:
Affordable Homes: crucial for a vibrant, inclusive community, allowing key workers, young adults, and families to live centrally.
Education: a new Town Centre educational facility is proposed to meet growing demand and raise achievement, with potential expansion of existing primary and early years provisions.
Healthcare: new GP provision and a health hub are planned to address population growth, alongside consideration for dental services.
Community places: new spaces like "Stockroom" and neighbourhood-level venues will foster a sense of community.
Public spaces: a network of high-quality public and play spaces will support high-density residential development and family needs, improving connections to existing green spaces.
Small-scale convenience stores: to serve the new resident population.
These provisions will be phased, with planning underway to accommodate future needs and ensure the Town Centre remains a long-term location of choice.
Social value is another key priority, embedding inclusive growth through community engagement, social value clauses in procurement, partnerships, and dedicated skills and training programmes. The aim is to monitor and demonstrate tangible change, directly tackling social inequality.
The council is committed to maximising local employment, fostering a skilled workforce, and creating sustainable career pathways. This will be achieved through:
Planning conditions: mandating developer contributions to local work and skills initiatives, linking end-users to support services like the Council's employment teams, Jobcentre Plus, and local colleges.
Procurement: including social value clauses that prioritize local employment, training, and skills development.
A cornerstone of this delivery is the Stockport Construction Hub, a legacy of the Mayoral Development Corporation, which will coordinate targeted skills training and employment support, particularly in the growing construction sector, focusing on priority groups. The SRF's objectives will also shape the Economic Plan Refresh and Skills Plan, ensuring alignment for future economic development and skills provision, and influencing the commissioning of work and skills support services.
The SRF adopts a holistic approach to tackling social inequality at every life stage, informed by comprehensive baseline analysis. Key interventions include:
- new social infrastructure for early support and improved wellbeing for young people and communities
- improved connectivity for accessible provision for all
- a range of local job opportunities
- enhanced access to skills and training via social value provisions