Plans for major town centre office block approved

Developers said it would be the "last piece in the puzzle" at the Stockport Exchange scheme

Plans for a new office block and shops as part of a £145m scheme to encourage more people to live and work in a town have been approved.

Developers said the complex would be the "last piece of the puzzle" at the Stockport Exchange, which is based around the Greater Manchester town's railway station.

Previous stages saw the opening of a 1,000 space multi-storey car park in 2014 followed by office blocks and a 115-bed hotel, with potential to build up to 100 apartments and space for new cafes, bars and restaurants.

Historic England had expressed concerns the new six and ten-storey office buildings could "diminish" the town's landmarks, but Stockport Council’s planning committee supported it.

The approved plans, led by Stockport Mayoral Development Corporation in partnership with development firm Muse, would see 245,000 sq-ft (22,761 sq-m) of office space added to the area, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Mark Jones, chairman of the planning committee, said the application "demonstrates the success of Stockport".

"We should be very pleased with what’s been achieved with our town," he added.

'Success of Stockport'

Colin MacAlister, the town hall's cabinet member for economy and regeneration, said: "This latest milestone is a significant achievement with the potential to also provide much needed homes in a highly accessible location."

Max King, project director at Muse, said: "It's the last piece in the puzzle for the blossoming business community we’ve proudly created in the town.

"Stockport continues to prove popular with growing and established businesses looking for something a bit different outside of Manchester but still highly commutable."

Wider regeneration work taking place around the town includes the £140m Stockport Interchange, a new two-acre public park, and new apartment buildings.

Other schemes are also in the pipeline, including the £250m Stockport 8 development to create a new a "walkable neighbourhood" with up to 1,200 new homes, as well as new green spaces.