Green shoots of regeneration

22 Sep 2023 10:04

CONSTRUCTION of a new rooftop park above Stockport Interchange has reached its next milestone with the planting of the first trees.
While the distinct oval structure of the podium park is already in place, further landscaping work is underway to transform the area above the new bus interchange into a two-acre public greenspace in the heart of the town centre.
The project includes the planting of 95 new trees in the new park and approximately 400 more across the wider development and town.
In addition, the park has an in-built ‘blue-roof’ drainage system that will capture and store rainwater to allow controlled run-off into drainage outfall and watercourses.
Sustainable features within the development also include an array of PV solar panels generating renewable energy both within the interchange and on the residential building roof.
Stockport Council leader Mark Hunter said: “The Interchange is a key part of our borough’s £1billion transformation and the park will become a real asset for our town centre.
“The new park will be a fantastic new green space in the heart of our town – a space that everyone will be able to use.
“It was a great moment to be able to plant one of the first trees in the park and once they are established, they will have a positive impact on the area.”
The Interchange project, set to open in 2024, is being delivered by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), Stockport Council, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and contractor Willmott Dixon.
It is one of the landmark schemes within the Town Centre West regeneration masterplan, a 130-acre site, being driven forward by Stockport Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC).
It will see 4,000 new homes, leisure space, workspace, public realm and amenities delivered alongside major transport and infrastructure improvements.
Eamonn Boylan, interim chairman of Stockport MDC, said: “The development of Stockport Interchange has progressed at pace, and is well on track for completion by spring 2024.
“It is exciting to see literal green shoots emerging in the town centre, and these new trees are just the beginning of a significant environmental strategy as part of the Town Centre West masterplan and wider town centre regeneration, that will radically improve the town’s access to green public spaces.
“With its new park, its new accessible walkways and active travel routes that link the Interchange to the River Mersey and the train station, and the creation of new homes and public spaces, the Interchange is set to establish a new benchmark for town-centre transportation hubs.”
The new interchange will feature a fully accessible, covered passenger concourse with seated waiting areas, 18 bus stands with capacity to accommodate 168 bus departures per hour, cycle storage facilities and more.
The scheme also features a 14-storey residential building incorporating one and two-bed apartments which will be available for rent once completed.