Security fears over rooftop park at Stockport transport interchange

The two-acre rooftop park is set to open next year

Security concerns have been raised over a lack of CCTV at a rooftop park in a new transport interchange.

The £120m development in Stockport town centre will include a two-acre park when it opens in spring 2024.

Some councillors fear it could become "the new Piccadilly Gardens" and be plagued by anti-social behaviour like the area in Manchester city centre.

It came as councillors heard security patrols and CCTV were not part of the current safety measures for the site.

The construction project, which will see the area around Stockport's old bus station transformed, is already under way.

The Local Reporting Democracy Service said the communities and transport scrutiny committee was told some councillors were concerned there would be no CCTV or security teams monitoring the park.

Local politicians said they were excited about the revamp but concerned about security

There were concerns it could become similar to Manchester's Piccadilly Gardens, where anti-social behaviour, drug dealing and other criminality has been a problem for years.

Councillor Matt Wynne also shared his concerns over the lack of detail on maintenance and community safety.

"We don't want this turning into Piccadilly Gardens," he said, adding the area in the city centre "can sometimes be an uncomfortable place to walk through".

"There is a fear that could be replicated," he said.

Councillor Frankie Singleton, cabinet member for communities, culture and sport; and councillor Grace Baynham, cabinet member for parks, highways and transport services, assured members any issues would be dealt with.

Lighting, new cycle links, more bus stands, and almost 200 "high-quality" apartments off Daw Bank would help deter anti-social behaviour at the new park and a more detailed security plan would be devised, the committee was told.

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