Issue - meetings

To consider a joint report of the Cabinet Members for Communities & Housing and for Economy & Regeneration.

This purpose of this report is to accelerate Brownfield First delivery in relation to a number of development opportunities to the west of the town centre including Weir Mill and sites within the Rail Station Masterplan.

The approach set out in this report relates to the use of tools and powers at the Council’s disposal and is consistent with the Brownfield First approach and the emerging Town Centre Living Development Framework and Town Centre Living Scrutiny Review.

The report also seeks to gain resolution to use Compulsory Purchase powers, if required, for the delivery of key schemes within the area including Weir Mill.

The Cabinet is recommended to:-

·         resolve to make full use of the various tools available to the Council to support the unlocking of the Town Centre West sites.

·         approve the use of Compulsory Purchase powers, if required, for the delivery of key schemes within the Town Centre West Residential area including Weir Mill to secure the HIF funding.

·         delegate responsibility to the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration in consultation with the Portfolio Holders for Economy & Regeneration and Housing and Communities to utilise powers of the Council in relation to CPO and unlocking Brownfield delivery as outlined in this report.

Officer contact: Paul Richards, 0161-474-2940, paul.richards@stockport.gov.uk

A joint report of the Cabinet Members for Communities & Housing and for Economy and Regeneration was submitted (copies of which had been circulated) setting out a proposal to accelerate Brownfield First delivery in relation to a number of development opportunities to the west of the town centre including Weir Mill and sites within the Rail Station Masterplan.

The approach set out in the report related to the use of tools and powers at the Council’s disposal and was consistent with the Brownfield First approach and the emerging Town Centre Living Development Framework and Town Centre Living Scrutiny Review.

The report also sought approval to use Compulsory Purchase powers, if required, for the delivery of key schemes within the area including Weir Mill.

Cabinet Members emphasised the need to take account of the people who already lived in the town centre, the amenities and greenspace available to them and the need to ensure that the development did not adversely impact upon them. The need to adhere to quality standards for the development was also of paramount importance.

RESOLVED – (1) That approval be given to make full use of the various tools available to the Council to support the unlocking of the Town Centre West sites.

(2) That approval be given to the use of Compulsory Purchase powers, if required, for the delivery of key schemes within the Town Centre West Residential area, including Weir Mill, to secure the Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF) funding.

(3) That authority be delegated to the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration, in consultation with the Portfolio Holders for Economy & Regeneration and Communities & Housing, to utilise powers of the Council in relation to Compulsory Purchase Orders and unlocking Brownfield delivery, as outlined in the report.

(4) That the Chairs of the Corporate, Resource Management & Governance Scrutiny Committee and the Planning and Highways Regulation Committee be consulted on the proposals.

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

The report sets out a proposal to accelerate Brownfield First delivery in relation to a number of development opportunities to the west of the town centre including Weir Mill and sites within the Rail Station Masterplan.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to comment on the report.

Officer contact: Paul Richards on 0161 474 2940 or email: paul.richards@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out a proposal to accelerate Brownfield First delivery in relation to a number of development opportunities to the west of the town centre including Weir Mill and sites within the Rail Station Masterplan. The report had been submitted in advance of a report on the ongoing Town Centre Living Development Framework which would be submitted to a future meeting of the Scrutiny Committee.

The Cabinet Member for Economy and Regeneration (Councillor Kate Butler) attended the meeting to respond to Members’ questions.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         The aims and objectives in the report were generally welcomed, albeit they were felt to be ambitious, and updates on the scheme were requested.

·         A Member enquired what the Council was doing to ensure that there were adequate parking facilities, a good mix of people living in the area and adequate infrastructure, such as schools and doctors, which were essential to families. In order to attract younger professionals to Stockport the development of the evening, leisure economy was also important.

·         Communities had to be developed, but this could be problematic because developers could have viability issues given the nature of some of the sites. The Scrutiny Review on Town Centre Living had considered how it could be ensured that the existing population had the necessary infrastructure.

·         Information infrastructure (with super fast broadband) and green and blue infrastructure were important factors to be considered.

·         The River Mersey could be used as a base for a ‘blue corridor’ which would help to make properties more marketable, as well as improving the wellbeing of residents. A Member suggested that development could take place on both sides of the River Mersey.

·         The quality of the accommodation was of paramount importance,

·         Support was given in principle to the compulsory purchase process, but it was acknowledged that this could be a lengthy process.

·         There was also the opportunity to have residential development on retail sites which had been vacated.

·         An important question in connection with the strategy was how people could be persuaded to use public transport.

RESOLVED – That the Cabinet be advised that the Scrutiny Committee supports the strategy in principle.

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

The report details a proposal to accelerate Brownfield First delivery in Stockport town centre in relation to a number of development opportunities in the Rail Station Masterplan area around King Street West.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to comment on and note the report.

Officer contact: Paul Richards on 0161 474 2940 or email: paul.richards@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing a proposal to accelerate Brownfield First delivery in Stockport town centre in relation to a number of development opportunities in the Rail Station Masterplan area around King Street West.

The Cabinet Member for Communities and Housing (Councillor Sheila Bailey) attended the meeting to present the report and respond to councillors’ questions.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         Concern was expressed in relation to the juxtaposition of residential buildings with busy, and potentially noisy, transportation corridors such as the viaduct.

·         Further work was to take place with regard to the development of a town centre design guide.

·         It was commented that there were real concerns with regard to air quality in and around the town centre which needed to be addressed as part of any work to increase residential development.

·         The Strategy envisage a mixed use development that would retain an element of employment usage and work was taking place to accommodate or relocate existing tenants.

·         The proposal to include a significant element of innovative public open space was welcomed.

·         The proposal included the potential use of compulsory purchase powers to ensure that the land needed for development could be assembled.

·         The strategy represented a significant test of the emerging Brownfield First strategy.

·         It was unlikely that the development would result in a significant level of affordable accommodation as viability remained a challenge because of the nature of the existing buildings.

·         The ongoing work on the town centre living project had established that there was a market for residential accommodation in the town centre.

·         Affordable housing should not be focussed in one part of the borough, but needed to be spread more evenly to ensure that local communities remained sustainable and that young families could continue to live within their community.

·         Consideration needed to be given as how the river aspect could be improved to ensure that this provided amenity to new residents.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.