Investment, regeneration and creating jobs

Stockport is already an attractive place to live and work. We want Stockport to continue to deliver the opportunities that make us one of the best towns in England to live, learn, work and play.

Progress in 2024

We’re leading one of the UK’s most ambitious urban transformations, supported by £1bn in investment.

Award-winning Interchange

Our new transport interchange is the UK’s first with a rooftop park and opened in March 2024. It’s Metrolink-ready and provides pedestrian access to the River Mersey for the first time in a generation.

Creating jobs

Around 3,500 new jobs have been created in construction and Stockport Exchange continues to go from strength to strength as a workplace. No.2 Stockport Exchange is fully let and there is lots of interest in No.3 Stockport Exchange. The Merseyway Innovation Centre has opened and is attracting lots of interest from businesses looking for high-quality space in Stockport Town Centre. The centre is currently over 80% full.

More homes

Working with our cross-party Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC) we’re delivering 8,000 homes, reversing decades of town centre decline. Construction continues on Weir Mill and Stockport 8 is progressing well with planning submitted for the first 1,300 homes.

Cultural revival

Stockport’s time as Greater Manchester’s Town of Culture in 2023-24 saw record-breaking footfall and £300,000 invested in grassroots cultural initiatives, leaving a lasting legacy. The council-run Hatworks – the UK’s only hatting museum – reopened after a £100,000 renovation, boosting visitors by 54%. And we’re transforming 135,000 square feet of vacant retail space into Stockroom, our new cultural and creative venue.

Our key areas of focus over the next 2 years will be:

Regeneration

We'll continue to drive investment in regeneration projects, including:

  • the redevelopment of key town centre sites including Weir Mill and Stopford Park (formally known as Royal George Village)

  • the redevelopment of an 8 acre town centre site into a new fully walkable neighbourhood with 1,300 new homes and brand-new public spaces, subject to planning permission

  • Stockroom: an exciting new cultural and creative space for Stockport in the heart of the town’s busy shopping area, Merseyway, Stockroom is for anybody and everybody

  • the St Thomas’ Community of Living Well: the redevelopment of the Grade II listed St Thomas’ Gardens site will create a new 82-bed care facility, providing support for people transitioning between hospital and home, alongside 68 new affordable homes. Work on the care facility began in 2024 and is due to complete in 2026

Business

We'll support the business base in Stockport, including:

  • the continued development of the One Stockport Business Support Hub which will provide a drop in facility in the town centre to help businesses identify and meet their support needs

  • the redevelopment of 115,000 square feet of land in Cheadle to create a low carbon, highly sustainable employment park for engineering, manufacturing and technology businesses

Housing

We'll deliver ambitious housing projects:

  • as well as the 4,000 homes being created in the town centre west, we have more housing schemes in the pipeline including Fletcher Street and the former Greenhale House site

  • we also have ambitious plans to create more accessible and affordable housing in the east of our town centre

Transport

As well as the Stockport Interchange, major public transport initiatives include:

  • bringing the Metrolink to Stockport

  • facilitating a zero-emissions bus network which connects all our neighbourhoods, including the introduction of the Bee Network bus franchising in early 2025

  • securing further national investment in Stockport Railway Station

  • building a new railway station at Cheadle

  • improving accessibility to our local railway stations

  • continuing to improve our pedestrian and cycle infrastructure