Work on a "buzzing" new £60 million neighbourhood centred around a historic mill in Stockport is set to start next month, it has been announced. Plans for the transformation of Weir Mill on King Street West on the banks of the River Mersey - hailed as a "cornerstone" of the £1billion town centre transformation -were given the go-ahead last Autumn.
They include 253 new flats, 87 of which will be within the existing mill buildings with 167 in two new-build blocks.
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There will also be spaces for indie businesses including bars, restaurants, cafés and shops and a new square with space for riverside street markets, DJ sets, live music events and performing arts which it is said will "establish a new leisure and culture destination" on the western edge of the town centre.
The plans for the mill, parts of which date back to the 1700s, have been brought forward by developer Capital & Centric (C&C) and are backed by Stockport Council and the Stockport Mayoral Development Corporation.
Capital & Centric - whose founder Tim Heatley starred in the BBC documentary Manctopia - has worked on previous mill restoration and re-purposing projects such as Kampus next to Manchester's Gay Village.
While the plans have been widely welcomed, the inclusion of a 14-storey apartment block has proven controversial, with campaigners saying it will obscure views of the town’s landmark viaduct.
More than 4,000 people signed a 'don’t hide the viaduct’ petition while the Victorian Society and Save Britain’s Heritage both opposed the tower element of the plans. However, the plans were approved by Stockport Council's planning committee last October.
And in what has been dubbed as a "major moment" for the town, work on the Weir Mill project is now set to start within weeks following the appointment of John Sisk and Son as main contractors.
Work to strip out and demolish some small sections of the site are currently underway before Sisk, founded in Ireland, moves in and takes over. Building work is expected to last around two years.
Capital and Centric co-founder Adam Higgin said the development would be "not only a top place to live but a visitor pull for Stockport."
“Weir Mill has been a constant presence in Stockport, with parts of the buildings dating back to the 1700s," he said. Now it’s set to be the main character in the town’s next storyline.
"You really feel the rich heritage when you’re stood on site, we knew from day one we needed to honour that with something properly special.
"The neighbourhood will be just that, with new public squares, foodie hangouts and tranquil green spots. Not only a top place to live, but a visitor pull for Stockport.
“There’s no doubt, it’s a turbulent time at the moment, but we’re ploughing on. It’s creative neighbourhoods like this that will propel the region’s recovery. We’re itching to get on-site in the coming weeks.”
The Weir Mill site borders the new transport interchange -work on which got underway in March - and Stockport 8, a new eight-acre next to Stockport Viaduct where 1,200 new homes are planned and for which the MDC is currently seeking a partner.
Coun Mark Hunter, the newly appointed Leader of Stockport Council, said the projects would see Stockport "become the most liveable and well-connected town centre in Greater Manchester."
"Our vision for the town centre is moving forward at pace and I look forward to plans progressing now the contractor has been appointed," he said.
Lord Bob Kerslake, Chair of the Stockport MDC, said: "Weir Mill will be a catalytic site that will drastically improve the whole area, located just a stone’s throw from the Interchange.
"Particularly against the current volatility of the construction industry, this is a major achievement to get such as vision fully funded, with a respected contractor appointed and work set to start.”
