Agenda item

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

The Panel at its meeting on 2 October 2017 gave approval to holding three thematic meetings based around three strands identified during the scoping of the Review.

The first of these meetings is based around an analysis of the baseline information to establish an understanding of the current housing mix, facility and amenities.

A number of local residents have also been invited to attend the meeting to allow members’ to ask question sin relation to their experience of living within the town centre.

A representative of the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) which provided an analysis of baseline information to establish an understanding of the current housing mix, facilities and amenities within the Town Centre. 

Following a request made at the last meeting of the Panel, arrangements had been made for a number of existing residents within the Town Centre to attend the meeting to provide evidence to the Panel in relation to their experience of living within the Town Centre.

The following comments were made/ issues raised as part of the submissions of the interviewees:-

·         The ease of access to the range of facilities and amenities offered by the Town Centre.

·         The ongoing regeneration work within the Town Centre was seen as encouraging.

·         The Stockport Metroshuttle service was viewed by all interviewees as a vital link for the communities living within the Town Centre as it provided quick, easy and free access across the area.  The link was seen as increasingly important in the light of many residents not having access to their own transportation and made living within the Town Centre increasingly attractive and feasible.

·         It was suggested that the hours of operation of the Stockport Metroshuttle could be extended until later in the evening.

·         A resident of the Joseph Leigh House stated that notwithstanding the Town Centre location of the development, noise nuisance and general anti-social behaviour was not considered to be a significant problem.

·         The proximity of the Town Centre to excellent transportation links, specifically to Manchester but also further afield was described as a particular benefit.

·         Town Centre living was seen as being particularly attractive to younger residents.

·         The Town Centre was considered to be a safe place to live.

·         Access to doctors and dentists could be problematic. 

·         There was insufficient space for residents to meet and organise.

·         It was commented that age restrictions on properties within the Mottram Street Estate had been lifted which had resulted in an increase in the number of young families living in the area.  However, there had not been a commensurate increase in the provision of facilities such as play areas and other activities for families and young people.

·         It was suggested that in the light of the clear demand for family accommodation on the Mottram Street Estate, a focus for any strategy should be on the provision of affordable housing.

·         The closure of Merseyway at 5.30 pm cuts off access through the main street in the Town Centre in the evening which significantly reduced the attractiveness of the area to residents and visitors.

·         The Town Centre was generally perceived to be a good place to live.

Harry Bolton and Rebecca Harper (CBRE) also attended the meeting and made a presentation providing the Panel with overview of the Town Centre Living Development Framework project being undertaken by CRBE on behalf of Stockport Council.

The following comments were made in relation to the presentation:-

·         It was important that any new residential development was complementary to existing properties and communities and served to enhance the living space for all residents.

·         It was important that housing was not looked at in isolation but that ancillary development that was necessary to support a thriving community was built into any strategy.

·         There was a need to arrest the reducing 18-65 economically active population in the Borough through the provision of housing for everyone at every stage of their lives.

·         The study area identified in the presentation was broadly endorsed by the Panel.

·         Historically, the Town Centre contained a significant amount of housing which had been hollowed out in the post-war period.  Part of the aim of a Strategy for Town Centre Living was to reintroduce residential land use as a core element of a thriving Town Centre and to rebalance the tenure of housing in the Town Centre.

·         Provision for high quality public spaces needed to be incorporated.

·         The local authority would need to consider a combination of approaches to stimulate market activity in the Town Centre.

·         It was commented that a range of sites had been identified within the Town Centre as being potentially suitable for residential development. It was queried whether the strategy would identify a saturation point at which point further development would be considered unsustainable.  In response, it was stated that while a large number of sites may be identified, it was unrealistic to suggest that they would all be deliverable. 

RESOLVED – (1) That those residents who attended the meeting be thanked for their attendance and contributions.

(2) That Harry Bolton and Rebecca Harper be thanked for their attendance and presentation.