Winners picked for £120m Stockport Interchange

Willmott Dixon has been chosen as main contractor to deliver the major redevelopment of the town’s bus station, alongside a joint venture between Cityheart and Rise Homes which will bring forward a £40m apartment block.

In October, Place North West revealed Willmott Dixon was vying against Morgan Sindall, Galliford Try and Vinci to build the revamped transport interchange on behalf of Transport for Greater Manchester. The scheme is set to include a green roof, two acres of public realm opening up on to the river Mersey, and improved connectivity to the town’s railway station.

The plans also factor in a potential route for the Metrolink tram network. Stockport revealed last month the town was requesting up to £1bn from the Government to back the extension of the line from East Didsbury.

Cityheart and Rise are understood to have beaten Muse Developments to be chosen as development partner for the residential element of the project, a 196-apartment block.

The main contractor and residential developer contracts were tendered separately.

As development partner, Cityheart and Rise would invest equity into a special purpose vehicle with the council, and secure development funding, according to the tender documents published last year.

The council and Greater Manchester Combined Authority are expected to invest £10m into the SPV. Housing Infrastructure Fund money is also available to support the development.

The interchange project has a gross development value of £120m, and has already secured £41.7m of Growth Fund money, which will primarily be used to deliver the transport interchange and public realm.

BDP is lead designer on the project, providing architecture, landscape design and lighting design. WSP is lead consultant.

The plan includes:

• A fully accessible, covered passenger concourse with seated waiting areas
• Better and easier routes to the town centre for pedestrians. with improved links to the rail station, Merseyway and the River Mersey, as well as a lift between the interchange and the A6
• 20 bus stands, giving space for growth in bus services
• New bus and train travel information screens, plus a Travelshop for passengers
• Fully accessible toilets with baby changing and Changing Places facilities
• Cycle parking
• A new town centre park above the interchange, bringing more green space to Stockport town centre for everyone to enjoy
• Direct access to the two-acre park from the A6
• Around 200 new high-quality residential apartments off Daw Bank.