Stockport

Major new £60m neighbourhood in Stockport takes big step forward

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 27th May 2022

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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Plans for Weir Mill in Stockport. Credit: Capital & Centric

“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.”


Plans for Weir Mill in Stockport. Credit: Capital & Centric

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.”

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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

Stockport’s landmark £60m Weir Mill neighbourhood beneath viaduct hits major milestone

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Weir Mill in Stockport. Credit: Capital & Centric

Weir Mill, a major new neighbourhood in Stockport, has reached a milestone this week, with its towering 14-storey apartment block reaching its full height.

The £60m transformation of the area beneath the viaduct in the town centre is being taken on by social impact developers Capital & Centric, who plan build 253 design-led apartments, as well as green outdoor space, independent bars, restaurants and shops.

Capital & Centric are already receiving interest from indie operators for the commercial spaces, ahead of kick-starting their hunt in the new year.

Weir Mill will bring life back to historic mill buildings that date all the way back to the 1700s.

It will form a major destination in Stockport’s Town Centre West masterplan, a 130-acre regeneration district which will include 4,000 new homes, local amenities, green spaces, workspace, and transport improvements.

To celebrate Weir Mill reaching its full height, members of Stockport Council and the Stockport Mayoral Development Corporation, along with local young people from the not-for-profit Regeneration Brainery bootcamp, were invited for a tour of the site.

Views from the top of the tallest apartment block look all the way across Stockport and beyond to the Peak District, with the towers of Manchester city centre visible too.

The view from Weir Mill. Credit: The Manc Group
The view from Weir Mill. Credit: The Manc Group
Weir Mill in Stockport. Credit: Capital & Centric
Weir Mill in Stockport. Credit: Capital & Centric
Weir Mill now
Weir Mill now
Weir Mill now
Weir Mill now

The development is being built right on the banks of the River Mersey and beside the city’s iconic red-brick viaduct, a stone’s-throw from the train station.

Stockport has in recent years been named as one of the best places to buy your first home, as well as getting a name-check in the Sunday Times’ coveted Best Places To Live annual round-up.

Adam Higgins, from Capital&Centric, said: “Weir Mill is such a historic site but it was in need of some major TLC. Since day one, our mission has been to restore and repurpose the stunning heritage buildings and create a destination neighbourhood that furthers Stockport’s standing as one of the best places to live and spend time. Not only are we well underway with delivering more design-led homes at a key brownfield site, we’re also on with creating outdoor hangouts and food and drink spaces that will all be open to the public and help draw a crowd into the town centre. 

“Reaching the highest point is a massive moment and a visible sign of the change that’s happening here. It’s a privilege to give a glimpse of what’s happening on site given much of it has been shrouded in scaffolding for months. It really is a testament to the level of collaboration underway with the Council and MDC – with a shared desire to see Stockport create an identity it can be proud of for years to come.”

Weir Mill in Stockport. Credit: Capital & Centric
Weir Mill in Stockport. Credit: Capital & Centric

More than 150 people are now working to deliver the project, with significant focus on preserving and celebrating the original features of the historic Grade II listed landmark.

Cllr Mark Hunter, from Stockport Council, said: “This is a huge achievement and testament to the drive and ambition of everyone involved to bring this historic building back to life and greatly improve this area of the town centre, providing much needed, good quality homes.  

“The pace at which change is happening across the town centre is quite staggering, with work at the nearby Transport Interchange and new urban park due for completion next year, it’s a really exciting time for Stockport.”

Eamonn Boylan, Interim Chair of Stockport MDC, said: “The structural completion of the new residential blocks for the Weir Mill development puts us another step closer to delivering the 4,000 new homes that our regeneration masterplan will achieve. 

Weir Mill in Stockport. Credit: Capital & Centric
Weir Mill in Stockport. Credit: Capital & Centric

“The latest chapter in our town centre’s £1billion transformation, Weir Mill is setting a new benchmark for brownfield regeneration. One that celebrates and reinvigorates the town’s industrial infrastructure and heritage for a new age, in turn delivering essential new homes, creating a new cultural and leisure district and enhancing connectivity in the town centre. 

“As we look ahead to 2024, which will see the completion of a major new transport hub alongside amenities and new public realm, Stockport is undoubtedly on track to becoming one of the best connected and most liveable towns in the UK.”

The topping out ceremony at Weir Mill.
The topping out ceremony at Weir Mill. Credit: Capital & Centric
The topping out ceremony at Weir Mill.
The topping out ceremony at Weir Mill.

Once complete the £60m Weir Mill project will feature: 

  • Chestergate and King Street West: A new gateway into the town centre, with ground floor spaces for independent shops, cafes or delis and plenty of lush greenery. 
  • Water Front: A new public space looking out across the River Mersey, providing a place for riverside chilling in the evening sun.
  • Weir Mill East: Sensitively designed new buildings featuring a mix of homes, drawing inspiration from the site’s manufacturing history.
  • Weavers Square: What will become the heart of the scheme and a new destination for Stockport. The old cast iron columns of Weavers Shed are being retained to create a vibrant new outdoor space for riverside street markets, DJ sets, live music events and performing arts.
  • West Shed: A striking indoor space with exposed brick vaulted arches and cast-iron columns, creating a relaxed space to take your laptop, grab a coffee and while away the day.
  • West Courtyard: The former working courtyard to the mills, this will be a quieter, more contemplative garden space for residents and the general public to chill out, with plants, trees and secluded spaces to explore, as well as amenities for residents including rooftop terrace, BBQs and private dining spaces.

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Featured image: Capital & Centric

Stockport

Police appeal for information following a ‘targeted assault’ on a family in Stockport

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Police are appealing for information and witnesses following a “targeted assault” on a family in Stockport last week.

According to Greater Manchester Police (GMP), the shocking incident took place on Blandford Road in Stockport at around 9pm last Friday (24 November), and has been described as a “targeted attack on a family of four” – with two young children involved.

The assault happened while the family were inside their vehicle, a GMP spokesperson explained, and while injuries were “sustained” during the incident, they were thankfully not life-threatening.

The two suspects, who are believed to be males, used weapons to damage the vehicle before leaving the scene towards Green Lane in a dark-coloured car.

No arrests have been made at this stage, GMP has confirmed.

Now, with a police investigation having been opened and currently ongoing, GMP has issued a public appeal for more information and additional footage, and is also seeking witnesses to the incident in a bid to fully establish what happened.

“We have spent all weekend investigating a number of lines of enquiry to identify those responsible for committing a reckless act which could have had far more serious consequences,” explained Detective Constable Lauren Snook, of GMP’s Stockport CID.

Police are appealing for information following a ‘targeted assault’ on a family in Stockport / Credit: GMP

“We are determined to bring these offenders to justice for the shocking actions that has left a family understandably upset and worried.

“They are being supported throughout but we are hoping the local community can assist us further, as any bit of detail, however small, could be the key bit of evidence we need to take this further.”

DC Snook explained that GMP is keen to anyone who may have dashcam or doorbell footage “in the moments leading up to, during, or after the attack”, especially around the Norris Hill Drive or Blandford Road area, adding that: “Our enquiries suggest the offenders in their vehicle were parked on Blandford Road from around 4:30-7:15pm, before returning at around 9pm.

“This means we believe people might have dashcam footage when on their journeys that could assist with our investigation.”

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Anyone with information is asked to call GMP on 0161 856 9821 or 101, quoting incident 3519 of 24/11/2023, or alternatively, details can be passed on anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Featured Image – Google Maps

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