Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration

The report provides an overview of the study on the A6 corridor through Stockport town centre and proposals to improve it.

The Area Committee is recommended to review the draft masterplan and provide feedback on the overall principles.

Officer Contact: Sue Stevenson on 0161 474 4351 or email: sue.stevenson@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing an overview of the study on the A6 Corridor through Stockport town centre and proposals to improve it.

The overall aims of the draft A6 Town Centre Corridor Masterplan were to:-

·         provide evidenced, prioritised and costed options for the future development of the A6 Corridor based on a comprehensive demonstration of the route’s strategic importance as a major gateway into Stockport town centre.

·         articulate the impact these options could have for the regeneration of Stockport town centre if the A6 was transformed into a driver of local economic growth.

·         develop a coherent wayfinding and public realm strategy that was complementary to these ambitions and which created a ‘front door’ gateway to Stockport that served as an attractive destination in its own right.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         It was proposed to move to one lane of traffic on the A6 between Wellington Bridge and the junction with Railway Road.

·         The River Mersey would be looked at as part of a wider Public Realm Strategy for the whole of the town centre which was being prepared.

·         Where it was envisaged heavy goods traffic would be moved to if it was moved off the A6.

·         The report did not provides priorities or costings for the proposals.

·         There would be a ‘knock on’ effect on surrounding roads such as King Street West, Stockport.

·         A Member enquired how much the consultants had been paid for their work on the masterplan.

·         The Area Committee should have been consulted on the proposals before the Economy and Regeneration Scrutiny Committee.

·         Residents need to be consulted on the proposals.

·         The view was expressed that it was it was not possible to manipulate the usage of roads in Stockport unless there was a viable public transport alternative and in particular Metrolink.

·         The evidence based approach to the Masterplan was welcomed.

·         A Member welcomed the proposals for soft planting and to ‘green’ the area, and the proposals for street lighting and public art.

·         There was support for the aspirational nature of the Masterplan and its ambition for the area.

·         It was the general view of the Area Committee that the Area Committee would benefit from a separate briefing session to discuss and consider the proposals.

RESOLVED – That the Area Committee’s view on the overall principles on the A6 Town Centre Corridor Masterplan be deferred, pending a briefing session being arranged for Members of the Area Committee.