Council prepares to make ‘critical’ Stockport 8 land swap
The council is hoping to take ownership of a site off Travis Brow in the town centre with a view to unlocking land to progress the £250m regeneration project.
Stockport Council’s regeneration committee will meet next week to sign off what it describes as a “critical” land swap. The deal will see land for some of Stockport 8’s 1,200 homes freed up, the relocation of the town’s ambulance station, and the creation of a new ZEBRA bus depot.
Stockport Council plans to take control of the current Ambulance Service facility at Travis Brow, where it wants to build a replacement depot for its fleet of electric buses.
The other half of the swap will require the ambulance service to move to a new-build facility on a former Hazel Grove park and ride site. Stockport Council has agreed to fund the development of the ambulance station.
The new bus depot at Travis Brow is required as the current one, located nearby, was acquired by the council in 2021 as part of the Stockport 8 land assembly process. The plan is to knock it down and build homes.
English Cities Fund was selected by Stockport Mayoral Development Corporation’s delivery partner for the scheme earlier this year.
With ECF on board, a planning application for the £250m scheme – which will see the creation of a digitally enabled, green, and fully walkable mixed-use neighbourhood – is expected to be submitted in summer 2024.
Cllr Colin MacAlister, cabinet member for economy, regeneration and housing said “This is a really important component of the council and Mayoral Development Corporation’s vision for delivering new homes and jobs in the borough.
“The brand-new ambulance station will provide better coverage for our residents which will in turn enable a new all-electric bus depot with 170 electric buses at Travis Brow and 1,200 new homes in Stockport 8. All of this will be achieved through partnership working with both the public sector – NWAS, TfGM and GMCA – and ECF.”
Stockport 8 forms part of the council and the MDC’s ongoing regeneration of the area west of the town centre.
Overall, the plans for the Town Centre West will see the creation of up to 4,000 homes, 1m sq ft of employment space, major public transport improvements, new green space, and local amenities over the next 15 years.
What Cllr MacAlister needs to understand is the town centre can’t provide all the housing Stockport needs. When will he allow housing in his Marple backyard? Or will he continue his NIMBYist policy?
By Stockport Resident
What about Metrolink linking Piccadilly to Hazel Grove via Stockport, or a new hospital on the Debenhams site facing the M 60 at Junction 1? No, instead, flats built paid for by the Tax Payer for private tenants to use. Also there’s a Precinct screaming for redevelopment but again You’re missing what’s needed, not what You Councilors want. Take Your ‘Rose’ coloured glasses off & come out of the Town Hall.
By Miss Y Taylor
All this money on Stockport what about the other towns and villages. High Lane at the moment is disgusting. The village park is disgraceful. The council cut the grass and leave the cuttings everywhere causing weeds to develop. I was told the council had no money to pay to pick the grass up yet you have money for all this development.
By Anonymous
Great idea to diversify the town centre and create a mixed land use. Too long have town centres been dying due to low footfall in shops. Hopefully this will encourage young people to flock into Stockport town centre and live there as an alternative to Manchester.
By Anonymous
Ambulances trying to get through hazel grove. What could possibly go wrong. On a week day. At 5pm….
By Ron Bell
Brilliant to see Stockport transforming so much, it’s finally realising its potential.
By Pablo
Where are the shops, Doctors surgeries, for the people living in the centre of Stockport and how are Ambulances going to get through Hazel Grove especially at peak times. The traffic is at a standstill most days. I dont think any of these plans have been thought about clearly and fully.
By A concerned Stockport resident.
To those concerned about Ambulances getting through Hazel Grove, they already do that. Given that it’s where the hospital is. This can only be a good thing, more people living, working and playing in the town centre. It was provide a place for young people to start in the Borough, and hopefully stay in the area as they grow. Lots of graduates and skilled workers spending their money locally instead of Manchester.
By Anon of Stockport
Can the commenters please educate themselves about where money comes from to build new developments – it’s not usually the council FYI
By Anonymous
Happy that we are seeing more building going on the stockport but do not think that old buildings like stockport college should be taken down as I work for TLC and what I was working on the art gallery cutting the grass next to the college glass came from one off the window and just missed me lucky I am still here but I was not happy
By Dale hart
Move the ambulance station away from the motor network. What are our councillors thinking. Do they have any common sense?
By Roberts
Who thinks it’s a good idea to move the ambulance station away from central Stockport to almost the boundary of the Borough? In an emergency it means that the response time for this area of Stockport will be significantly increased due to the increased distance being covered. I understand that any move will not suit everyone but I feel that a central location is the most sensible solution for all.
By Reddish Resident
Every election the people of Stockport Don their blinkers and vote Lib Dem/Labour and this is why we have these vanity projects. As a Council they can’t afford a hanging basket but dream up a scheme to blow 00’s of millions and they are in just like Mayor Burham and his cycle lanes at £140 million.
Nothing will change until we use our votes.
By Rob Davies
IF you have all that money why not spend it filling the holes up in the roads.
By Anonymous
The current ambulance depot provides quick access routes to all parts of Stockport via the motorway network. Siting ambulances at one end with very limited access anywhere, is asking for trouble. The airport link road still floods doesn’t it?
By Anonymous
A stupid idea putting the ambulance station in Hazel Grove, just put bus depot there instead, but then there might be less backhanders then!!
By Vinny fletcher
So move an ambulance station that’s next to a motorway junction to a site a few months Les away in a gridlocked rush hour traffic location. Great idea. I can assure you no one in the borough of Stockport will die as a result of ambulances no longer able to get to them quick enough.
By P
The problem is that the current Ambulance station is well located for quick access to Stockport, the A6, the M56 and M60. Sticking ambulances at the Hazel Grove end of the A6 (a single lane incredibly congested road) seems like you are going to significantly slow down effective response times overall.
By Andy