Plans for a new riverside neighbourhood in Stockport town centre’s eastside have progressed, with CBRE appointed to develop a delivery strategy for the site.
The 22-acre Newbridge Lane area, which sits alongside the River Goyt, has been identified as a key opportunity to deliver new homes, green spaces and improved connections as part of the town centre’s £2bn transformation – described as the largest town centre regeneration in the UK.
CBRE has been appointed by Stockport Council as part of the Town Centre East Strategic Regeneration Framework (TCESRF). Working alongside the council and Stockport Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC), the consultancy will explore how the vision for the area can be brought to life, including options for a mix of new homes, public spaces, infrastructure and investment.
The area is seen to have the potential to become a neighbourhood combining high-quality homes, including family housing, with green spaces and improved walking and cycling routes. The aim is to create a riverside community that makes use of its setting, supports biodiversity and flood resilience, and strengthens links with surrounding neighbourhoods and the wider town centre.
Goyt Riverside Neighbourhood is one of three neighbourhoods identified through the TCESRF, alongside the Civic and Historic Heart, which focuses regeneration around Piccadilly, and Hillgate, where proposals include uncovering Hempshaw Brook to create a nature corridor, blending heritage with new development.
Wider ambition
The work forms part of a wider ambition to deliver 8,000 new homes across Stockport town centre by 2040, alongside new public spaces and social infrastructure. Plans accelerated by Stockport MDC include a new town centre school and healthcare hub, intended to support new and existing communities through the next phase of regeneration.
The development in the east follows progress in the west of the town centre and the MDC’s expansion earlier this year, when its boundary trebled to cover the whole town centre in what the council said was a UK first.
The MDC has driven forward projects including Stockport Interchange, the restoration of the 18th-century Weir Mill, which has created 253 homes, and a new business district at Stockport Exchange. Since 2019, £600m of private sector investment has been secured, 235,600 sq ft of employment space generated, and more than 1,500 new homes delivered or on site in the town centre, with planning consent secured for around 2,200 more homes.
CBRE will work alongside consultants Barker Proudlove, AEW Architects, CW Studio and Ridge.
Councillor Micheala Meikle, cabinet member for economy, regeneration and skills at Stockport Council, said: “This appointment marks an important milestone as we look to replicate the success of regeneration in the west to the east of the town centre in a new chapter for our UK-leading regeneration.
“The area around Newbridge Lane represents a fantastic opportunity to create a new, connected neighbourhood that offers homes for people at different stages of life, makes the most of its riverside location and provides the infrastructure needed to support a growing community.
“By appointing CBRE, we are taking the next step towards turning an ambitious vision into a realistic and deliverable plan that will help shape the future of this part of the town centre for years to come.”
Adam White, executive director at CBRE, said: “Having played a central role in bringing forward Town Centre West and authored the Strategic Regeneration Framework for Town Centre East, we have seen first-hand the transformative impact of Stockport’s regeneration.
“Newbridge Lane is a fantastic opportunity to further demonstrate how devolved, place-based leadership, backed by government and combined authority investment, can deliver new mixed-tenure communities at the heart of our town centres by creating the conditions for private developers and capital to crowd in. We are delighted to be shaping the delivery strategy for this new riverside neighbourhood as Stockport continues to pioneer the model for regeneration and economic growth across the country.”
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