While there has been some impressive work undertaken in Stockport town centre in recent times, there is always a desire for more. When development work is taking place, it can be a slight inconvenience, but on the whole, it is for the greater good. Anything which can be seen as bringing employment to the area while offering a fresh look and new space for homes or business has to be seen as a good thing. The fact that there are plans in place and development work is expected to continue is a positive sign but plans aren’t enough, there is a need for action.
This can be seen with the fact that a vacant site in the town centre of Stockport has had planning outlines hanging over it since 2006. The 1,375sq m place in Higher Hillgate received an outline back in 2006 and it looked as though there was finally going to be some work undertaken at the location.
Problems have arisen over who owns the land
However, it turned out that the land itself was actually legally classed as four separate prices of land, as opposed to being a single entity. The problem lies in the fact that only one of the pieces of land is owned by the council and the length of time it has taken to move forward means that the document has been classed as “out of date”.
A replacement plan has been created and there is hope that compulsory purchase orders may be utilised to ensure the land can be used for a residential development. In fact, the executive at Stockport Council has already provided their approval to undertake the legal requirements involved with obtaining compulsory purchase orders. This would be a great area for residential options in Stockport, but there are still concerns over what will happen to the site. There has been a good level of regeneration work undertaken in this general area of Stockport and any work undertaken in this area would complement the area.
One issue that may continue to halt progress is the fact that is site is contained with the Higher Hillgate Conservation Area. This means that “general industry” usage isn’t allowed and that a development application would require a heritage appraisal. Housing options remain the first choice of usage of this land but alternative uses could include a health centre, offices, education, leisure or restaurants. There is definitely a strong level of demand for something to be done with the site and hopefully progress will be made.
At Spencer Harvey, we keep a close eye on developments in Stockport and this is a project that has held our interest for some time. If you would like to discuss any Stockport developments or property requirements, please arrange an appointment.
For all your property needs, please contact Spencer Harvey Estate and Letting Agents on:
0161 480 8888
https://www.spencerharvey.co.uk