Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Director of Development & Regeneration.

The report provides an update on the Council’s partnership with the Institute of Place Management in supporting the development of Marple District Centre.

The Area Committee is requested to:

1)    Note and comment on the final report from the Institute of Place Management on Marple District Centre.

2)    Authorise the District Centre Manager, in collaboration with local stakeholders, to develop an Action Plan for Marple District Centre based on the recommendations in the Institute of Place Management Report.

3)    Request that the District Centre Manager reports progress on delivering the Action Plan to the Area Committee on a quarterly basis.

Officer contact: Helen Walters on 07800 618140 or email: helen.walters@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Director of Development & Regeneration attended the meeting to provide an update on the Council’s partnership with the Institute of Place Management (IPM) in supporting the development of Marple District Centre.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·       The first meeting of the Marple Vision Team was on 7 November 2022, followed by a day of action on the 19 November 2022 alongside the Marple Makers Market. The Vision Team had a stall and engaged with members of the local community.

·       A member of the public noted that the IPM report referenced improvements to public transport and pedestrian access and questioned whether this would include previous proposals for transport infrastructure in the district centre. Members noted that it was important to bring different strands of information together in this regard and that useful information such as on crossing points would be taken into account. In response, Members emphasised that they were opposed to looking again at a proposed gyratory scheme.

·       Members requested that this item be included on the agenda as an Open Forum item three times per year going forward, so that members of the public can engage with its ongoing progress.

·       Officers welcomed the support and volunteering efforts of local organisations such as Marple Civic Society with their participation in the Vision Group and support of the aims of the report.

·       Members raised some areas of interest that had not been mentioned in the IPM report, such as a lack of public toilets and declining rail use in Marple. Members were thanked for these contributions and it was noted that the Vision Group and local stakeholders had an important role in identifying any areas of interest that had not been included in the report.

·       It was noted that agreement had been reached for unspent funds from a loan scheme for local businesses during the pandemic to be used for improvements to local district centres. This was welcomed by Members as a means to follow through with improvements identified by the Vision Group, particularly in the context of the different financial situation facing the Council.

·       It was commented that officers were working to identify potential sources of funding for local schemes. For instance, an event in another district centre involving a local youth group had received funding from a scheme led by Stockport Homes.

·       Members highlighted that Marple was the envy of other district centres in terms of its levels of community engagement, and that they needed to take full advantage of this.

·       Members advised that taking small, incremental steps to improve the local area would be the best way to facilitate the long-term success of the area.

·       It was noted that all stakeholders that had come forward so far had been forwarded a copy of the IPM report and Action Plan.

·       Officers committed to visiting local traders over the Christmas period to publicise the IPM report and encourage further involvement.

·       Overall, Members affirmed their belief in the importance of the district centre to the local community and of the need to be incorporate and be led by as many local groups as possible.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That the District Centre Manager, in collaboration with local stakeholders, be authorised to develop an Action Plan for Marple District Centre based on the recommendations in the Institute of Place Management report.

(3) That the District Centre Manager be requested to report progress on delivering the Action Plan to the Area Committee three times per year.