A huge project to transform part of Stockport into a new neighbourhood has taken a big step forward this week.
The £60m restoration project will see the historic Weir Mill turned into a community of 250 apartments, plus independent bars, restaurants, cafes and shops.
The project comes from developers Capital&Centric, who have also been behind major developments like Crusader Mill and Kampus in Manchester city centre.
It’s part of wider transformation plans in Stockport town centre, totalling around £1 billion.
A major milestone will be reached next month, when work on the site finally begins – a contractor (Sisk) has been appointed and funding is in place from Stockport Council and Stockport Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC).
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When work completes in 2024, there’ll be apartments in both the Grade II-listed mill building, and two new-build blocks.
Adam Higgins, co-founder of Capital&Centric said: “Weir Mill has been a constant presence in Stockport, with parts of the buildings dating back to the 1700s. Now it’s set to be the main character in the town’s next storyline.
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“You really feel the rich heritage when you’re stood on site, we knew from day one we needed to honour that with something properly special. The neighbourhood will be just that, with new public squares, foodie hangouts and tranquil green spots. Not only a top place to live, but a visitor pull for Stockport.
“There’s no doubt, it’s a turbulent time at the moment, but we’re ploughing on. It’s creative neighbourhoods like this that will propel the region’s recovery. We’re itching to get on site in the coming weeks.”
Lord Bob Kerslake, Chair of the Stockport MDC, said: “This is another fantastic example of the momentum and pace of transformation being achieved in Stockport thanks to a can do attitude and collaboration across the board. We’re delivering on what the MDC set out to do, create long-term inclusive growth by transforming the town with new homes, jobs and sustainable communities.
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“Weir Mill will be a catalytic site that will drastically improve the whole area, located just a stone’s throw from the Interchange. Particularly against the current volatility of the construction industry, this is a major achievement to get such as vision fully funded, with a respected contractor appointed and work set to start.”
The vision in Stockport has always been to deliver a community with an identity true to Stockport’s independent scene, not an identikit of other high streets. Weir Mill will include loads of lush outdoor spaces for people to spend time, creating a laid back riverside vibe while celebrating the site’s industrial past.
Alan Rodger, managing director at Sisk’s UK North division, said: “The redevelopment of Weir Mill is a key building block in the transformation of Stockport and we are delighted to be working with Capital & Centric to bring it back to life. Sisk has a strong track record in the Northwest of delivering some great projects that bring life back to our cities and towns while retaining the link with the architecture of our industrial past.”
Featured image: Capital & Centric
Stockport
Bolton has been named the ‘mouldiest’ place in the UK
Emily Sergeant
Bolton has been named the ‘mouldiest’ place in the UK, and it’s joined by two other Greater Manchester towns in the top 10.
Talk about a not-so-coveted title, right?
From damp flats to poorly-ventilated houses, the battle against mould seems to be constant for many UK residents, and while Awaab’s Law – which was named in memory of Rochdale toddler, Awaab Ishak, and introduced back in 2023 – was brought in to tackle this very problem, by mandating faster response times from social housing landlords for dealing with damp-related issues, the problem still continues for homeowners and tenants alike despite this new legislation.
And now, some new research by thermal imaging experts at Tester has revealed where the ‘mouldiest’ places to live in the UK are.
Tester measured the average monthly search volume for various mould-related terms over the past 12 months – including ‘mould removal cost’, and ‘black mould removal’ – to figure out where the mouldiest places in the country are, and devise a top 10 list.
Bolton takes the title of the UK’s mouldiest place, according to the new research, with an average monthly search volume for mould-related terms of 945 per 100,000 people, and ‘magic mould’ being the most-searched term as residents seem eager to find a simple solution to their ever-growing mould problems.
Top 10 ‘mouldiest’ places in the UK
Bolton
Croydon
Manchester
Bath
Bristol
Lincoln
Bournemouth
Norwich
Stockport
Wakefield
Manchester places third on the list, with an average monthly search volume of 922 per 100,000 people, and Stockport also features in the less-than-ideal top 10 at number nine.
Croydon in London claims the runner-up spot on the list, while Bath and Bristol round out the top five alongside Manchester, and Lincoln, Norwich, and Wakefield are some of the other areas to make up the top 10.
A spokesperson for Tester admitted that the surge in searches for mould-related terms in the UK is “worrying to say the least”.
Speaking on the findings from the team’s new research, they continued in a statement: “The study shows that UK residents are actively seeking out mould removal solutions, pointing to a wider problem of mould and mildew growth in homes not being properly dealt with, either by landlords or homeowners themselves.”
Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons
Stockport
The player celebrations from Stockport County’s League Two trophy presentation are glorious
Danny Jones
If you’re a Stockport County fan, you’ve had a very good year as the Hatters have just been crowned League Two champions and will be back in the English third tier next season – safe to say they’ve been making most of the trophy celebrations.
Players and staff very much included.
Edgeley was filled with flares and even people climbing on rooftops when they officially secured promotion back to League One for the first time in 12 years – the second time they’ve managed to go up in three seasons – and there was a great attendance in Stockport town centre for the bus parade.
But it was last week’s trophy presentation back at the stadium that produced some of the most memorable scenes, with County topping off a season of impressive and often high-scoring performances on the pitch with plenty more pageantry. Cue the music.
— Stockport (C)ounty (@StockportCounty) May 3, 2024
No one ever takes those pitch invasion ‘warnings’ seriously – not even the players.
We still haven’t stopped laughing at Kyle Knoyle.
From bringing Isaac Olaofe’s ‘Tanto’s on fire!’ chant to life to hammering home puns on names like Fraser Horsfall, no matter how obvious, these are the kind of deeply unserious celebrations we expect from a trophy presentation.
County fan or not, you’ve got to admit it looks like a good party.
It’s moments like these that players, fans and staff work hard all season for; to prat around like muppets in front of their adoring supporters. They even got assistant coach, Clint Hill, in the mix and, as it turns out, he proved to be one of the biggest ring-leaders.
We sincerely hope the Hatters keep trickling out more of these party scenes as we know there’s plenty more that fans would love to watch back.
We’re still yet to see captain Paddy Madden, who won Player of the Month for April, and the gaffer himself, Dave Challinor, who has comfortably secured his legacy as one of the club’s all-time greats.
Challinor and the club have made no secret of seriously eyeing up the Championship and who knows what else at County’s momentum continues to build, especially with a huge stadium redevelopment kicking off soon.
What do you reckon, Hatters – do you reckon a third promotion could be on the cards?