Stockport

‘Exciting’ project to transform Stockport town centre over next five years is signed off

"The MDC is going to provide massive regeneration opportunities, but allow us to reshape the town centre in line with our identity and our community values."

The Manc The Manc - 29th June 2021

Plans to transform the face of Stockport town centre over the next five years have officially been signed off by local authorities.

The medium-term plan is aiming to deliver 1,000 new homes by 2023, with at least 250 being built every year until 2026.

Projects also include the redevelopment of Stockport Train Station and progressing the business case for bringing the Metrolink to the town centre.

Regeneration of ‘Town Centre West’ has already delivered the Stockport Exchange office development, as well as transforming the old sorting office into a 117-apartment scheme dubbed The Mailbox. It has been hailed as “the newest, coolest, greenest” urban village in the region by Stockport Council leader Elise Wilson.

Now, Mayor Andy Burnham and leaders from across Greater Manchester have given the go-ahead for the business plan up to 2026.

The projects were approved at the latest meeting of the region’s combined authority.

Plans to transform Stockport town centre have been signed off by local leaders / Credit: Stockport MDC
The Stockport MDC is aiming to deliver 1,000 new homes by 2023 / Credit: Stockport MDC

Planning permission has been granted for the Royal George Village and St Thomas’ Gardens schemes, which are set to bring more than 500 homes to the town centre.

The redevelopment of Weir Mill and a new transport interchange are also in the pipeline.

“This is obviously a new way of approaching town centre regeneration,” Mayor Andy Burnham said.

“Supporting Stockport council, Greater Manchester is bringing what it can to the table, so we do this as a joint endeavour and maximise the support available – but also work to an ambitious masterplan that can deliver a real lasting change for the town.”

“The MDC is going to provide massive regeneration opportunities, but allow us to reshape the town centre in line with our identity and our community values,” Cllr Elise Wilson added.

“It will utilise those iconic brownfield sites, which in many cases have just sat falling into disrepair, and bring them back into life – and by doing so help protect our green belt and green spaces.

“It will support the revival of our high street and create jobs and growth, because we do see the effect that is having beyond the MDC itself.”

“The MDC is going to provide massive regeneration opportunities” / Credit: Stockport MDC

She added: “Because the benefits of the MDC will absolutely level-up Stockport and ensure we can see that positive, inclusive growth and new communities – the newest, coolest, greenest neighbourhoods.”

Leaders agreed to approve the MDC business plan for May 2021 to March 2026, as well as the action plan between now and March 2022.

Featured Image – Stockport Council / Stockport MDC

Stockport

Stockport paedophile jailed after ‘grooming, exploiting, and coercing’ teenage girls in early 2000s

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Christopher Oates

A prolific paedophile has been sentenced after admitting to ‘grooming, exploiting, and coercing’ teenage girls in the early 2000s.

Christopher Oates, from Stockport, has been brought to justice this week after he subjected vulnerable girls to what Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has referred to as a ‘campaign’ of violence and sexual abuse 20 years ago.

The court heard how the 45-year-old groomed one of the survivors from when she was just 14 years old, by providing her with a false sense of security, paying her compliments, and pretending to be her boyfriend, all before he proceeded to ply her with drugs, gifts, and affection, and using the trust and control he gained to persuade her to start sex work on the streets of Manchester.

When the teenage victim began to doubt his intentions and asked to go home, Oates dragged her down an alleyway, violently attacked her, and threatened her with a gun, stating: ‘You do as I say, you’re mine now,’ commanding her to go to her ‘spot’.

It was this incident that prompted the teenager to confide in her mother and support services, and from here, found the strength to move forward with her life, while still courageously supporting the police investigation.

From this investigation, detectives were then able to identify a second teenage victim, a 17-year-old, who Oates also coerced into sex work.

The two victims recall Oates taking them to a designated spot in central Manchester at least once a week to carry out sex acts in cars for money.

Oates would supply both victims with cocaine and alcohol, and even pressured them to take crack cocaine and heroin, aiming to build an addiction and increase their dependency on him.

In April 2024, Oates pleaded guilty to two counts of making indecent images of children, taking indecent images of children, and attempting to engage a child in sexual communication, as well as pleading to the production of cannabis and two counts of possessing an identity document with improper intent.

After being remanded into custody, on 5 September 2024, Oates was postal charged with possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, three counts of engaging in penetrative sexual activity with a girl aged 13-15 years old, and two counts causing / inciting a child aged 13-17 years to prostitution.

A paedophile from Stockport has been jailed after ‘grooming, exploiting, and coercing’ teenage girls in the early 2000s / Credit: GMP

In March earlier this year on the fourth day of his trial, Oates admitted to the offences, and this week (25 June 2025), he was sentenced to 13 years in prison for all his crimes.

“I would like to commend the two women at the centre of this case for the strength they demonstrated throughout our investigation and subsequent legal proceedings,” commented Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Inspector Eleanor Humphreys, from GMP’s CSE Major Investigations Team, as Oates was sentenced this week.

“It has been an arduous process for them to relieve the horrific abuse, and I am so grateful they placed their trust and confidence in our team to pursue justice.

“Their resilience and determination were the driving force behind reaching today’s outcome, where a dangerous man begins serving a lengthy sentence behind bars, far away from causing any more harm or misery.

Read more:

“Despite Oates’s cowardly attempts to evade facing justice, the evidence we uncovered was overwhelming, and his crimes finally caught up with him.

“I hope this brings these survivors a sense of closure after all these years.”

Featured Image – GMP

Stockport

Heartbreaking tributes are being paid after 23-year-old hit by car in Stockport dies from injuries

Danny Jones Danny Jones Joel Sheldon death Bredbury Stockport death tributes

Tributes are pouring in on social media following the death of a local young man from Bredbury, Stockport, who was tragically hit by a car last weekend.

Joel Corey Sheldon, who was just 23, sadly died on Saturday, 21 June, after being struck by a vehicle on the previous Friday night at around 10:20pm.

The Stopfordian was rushed to the hospital immediately, but was later pronounced dead from his injuries despite the best efforts of the paramedics and emergency services. He is survived by his parents, Gaz and Cheryl, as well as two brothers, Leo and Harvey.

Following the news of his passing, family members, friends and countless others throughout the Bredbury community and beyond have been paying their respects to what was, by all accounts, a “fun-loving popular young man.”

In a heartfelt tribute issued on Tuesday afternoon (24 Jun), Joel’s family wrote: “Our beautiful son Joel was caring, kind, and loved by everyone who knew him.

“He smiled constantly and loved life. His energy was infectious, and the outpouring of love for him has made us so immensely proud. We will love him and miss him for the rest of our lives.”

Writing on Facebook, the youngster’s godfather, Martin Smith, added: “RIP Joel Sheldon, I was so proud to be your godfather and part of your life. I’ll miss our chats.

“Even when you were gaming back in the day, you always were so polite to me. I love you, and the amount of broken hearts shows what a beautiful young man you were…”

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) say they received reports of a collision involving a Vauxhall Corsa and a pedestrian on Lower Bents Lane, close to The Greyhound Pub, with the car being seen heading in the direction of Redhouse Lane when the collision occurred. No suspects have been identified thus far.

A fundraising page has now been set up in Joel’s memory, with people donating to help cover the cost of his funeral and ‘any additional costs incurred by the family.’

Set up by fellow Bredbury native and family friend, Eleanor Moore, the description of the page reads: “The Sheldons are very much at the heart of the Bredbury community, and we would like to take away the financial strain at this difficult time.” Over £23,000 has been raised already.

Nearby pub, The Queens – located further up the same road on which he was unfortunately hit – also posted the GoFundMe link and has been sharing official updates from GMP, as have a number of other local businesses and organisations.

As for the latest from the authorities, police are appealing for more information, urging anyone with any more details regarding the incident, no matter how small, to come forward as soon as possible.

This includes Bredbury locals, eyewitnesses in the area at the time; dashcam and/or doorbell camera footage that may have captured images of the car or its driver, and any other information which might be useful in the investigation of Joel Sheldon’s death.

If you have information, you can contact Greater Manchester Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit on 101 quoting log 4082 of 20/06/25, or do so online right HERE.

Our thoughts go out to Joel’s friends and family, along with all those whose lives he touched, during this extremely difficult time. Rest in peace.

Read more:

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Family Handouts/GMP

More Stockport

New Highballer bar Stockport opens

Eats

Highballer – Stockport’s new bar from the brains behind Cherry Jam

Fitzpatrick's new Irish bar and grill opening Stockport

Art & Culture

First Look: Fitzpatrick’s – Stockport’s new Irish Bar gets off to a stunning start

Dave Challinor signs new contract at Stockport County

Sport

‘Best signing of the summer’: Stockport County fans react to Dave Challinor’s new contract

Audio

Clint Boon takes us around Manchester's iconic Deaf Institute

Eats

We go meatballs deep with Mira's traditional Neapolitan sandwiches