Stockport clears path for Aldi, 163 flats
Councillors sided with officer recommendations to approve the three projects from Kirkland Developments, Promised Way, and Morbaine.
Stockport’s planning committee met on Thursday to vote on the proposals for an Aldi in Portwood, 54 flats in Heaton Norris, and 109 apartments in Hazel Grove. You can read more about each of those schemes below. The council also approved an anticipated curry restaurant at the iconic Pyramid.
Former Hope Mill site off Water Street
- Application reference number: DC/082052
Despite an objection from rival Lidl, Aldi looks poised to open up a store off Water Street. The application was submitted by Morbaine, which has already landed an agreement with Aldi for the supermarket chain to operate the site upon completion.
Morbaine lodged plans for the three-acre brownfield site in 2021. The plot has been vacant since cotton mill Hope Mill was demolished in the early 2000s. The Aldi represents Morbaine’s second try to find a new use for the site, having received permission for a 60,000 sq ft leisure club there in 2006. Those plans never materialised.
The proposed Aldi would be accompanied by a 113-space car park. This would include four accessible spaces, four with electric vehicle charging capability, and eight parent and child spaces. There would also be areas for six motorcycles to park and 12 bicycles to be stored.
Access to the store would be from Water Street.
The project team includes Nexus Planning, The Harris Partnership, and Turner Lowe Associates.
Architect PZvi designed the scheme in Heaton Norris. Credit: via planning documents
Land to the south of Stitch Lane
- Application reference number: DC/086406
A cylindrical apartment block is coming to Heaton Norris, now that councillors have given approval in principle to Promised Way’s 52-bed ‘Roundhouse’.
The scheme zeroes in on land around London and North Western Railway Company’s former engine house. The grade two-listed engine house itself would be converted into two additional apartments as part of Promised Way’s plans.
Within the engine house would be one three-bed apartment and one with two.
The roundhouse, designed by architect PZvi, would contain 42 two-bed flats and 10 one-bed residents across eight floors.
Access to the apartments would be off Stitch Lane and Bowerfold Lane. There would be 29 spaces for cars to park, including five for those who are disabled and 11 with EV charging capability. There would also be enough cycle storage for 52 bicycles.
Kenyon Planning advised Promised Way on the scheme. The project team also includes Spencer Heritage Services, Ascerta Landscape, BEK Enviro, Stroma, RS Acoustics, and Hydrock, now Stantec.
Nicol Thomas designed the apartment blocks for Kirkland. Credit: via planning documents
32-52 London Road
- Application reference number: DC/089005
Bid farewell to the vehicle depot, paint shop, offices, and homes on a one-acre site bounded by London Road, Mount Pleasant, and John Street in Hazel Grove.
Kirkland Developments can move forward with demolishing those buildings in order to make way for two five-storey apartment blocks containing a total of 109 flats. None of these would be designated as affordable due to viability concerns.
One of the apartment blocks would contain 60 apartments – 34 with one bedroom and 26 with two. The other block would have 49 flats – 39 with one bedroom and 10 with two.
The project would be accessed via John Street and provide parking for 39 vehicles. This includes 11 spaces designated as accessible and 30 with electric vehicle charging provision. There would also be storage for 110 cycles.
Residents would be able to enjoy 15,100 sq ft of green space, including a garden, pond, and wildflower meadow.
NJL Consulting advised Kirkland on the plans, which were designed by Nicol Thomas. The project team includes Briary Energy, Vectos, Ridge and Partners, Miller Goodall, Arbtech, Clement Acoustics, and Integra Consulting.
Yet more historic, perfectly functional buildings flattened for pointless parking spaces. What an absolute waste.
By M. I. Grant
The parking spaces are woeful, noone wants a flat without a parking space
By Anonymous
So glad I don’t live on John St in Hazel Grove anymore. The tiny cobbled street will be busy after all these years.
By Alastair
So the planning committee follows guidance from the Planning Officer ! Despite the many objections they always recommend acceptance . So much for democracy
By Dave
Another block of flats squashed in between the A6 and the railway lines, how desirable.
By Anonymous
A6 Hazel grove is far too busy and congested .
By Anonymous
Do we really need more flats in this town. Is it that affordable housing is not as profitable for these builders? Disgraceful.
By Anne
Has any thought at all been given to the fact that this creates even more traffic, to an area already heaving with cars and delivery wagons. The planning department need their heads looking at !!
By Anonymous
109 apartments with only 39 parking spaces but 110 cycle spaces they obviously have not cycled along the A6 . Look opposite at the flats still for sale … no parking and not affordable ??
By Edward
Why no affordable housing? Where are young families supposed to live? So many apartments in Stockport !
By Jenny B
What viability concerns? Not make enough profit ???
By Anonymous
No we need shops in Hazel Grove
By Anonymous
Why so many cycle spaces,is this for when everyone has to use electric vehicles and nobody can afford one?
By Terence Williams
Not wanted here, overdevolpment for area and restricted access on mount pleasant.
By Anonymous
Shame on Stockport council for even considering colossal five storey building on this unsuitable site.
By Anonymous
109 apartments and 39 parking spaces? Who actually thought this through?
By Anonymous
Honestly, how can anyone in PLANNING think that approving a build that has more flats than parking spaces is a good idea? So many families have at least one car, often there are 2+. It means that parking on local streets will become even more crowded, meaning it will be less safe for pedestrians (not to mention it will probably really annoy people who already live nearby when they struggle to park themselves!)
By Anonymous
The extent to which commenters on here can’t contemplate anyone ever travelling anywhere except by car, even when you’re on the A6 and there’s a bus going past in each direction at least once every 5 minutes, is soul destroying.
By Sceptic
109 apartments but only 39 car parking spaces hmmm!!!
By Anonymous
This is what happens when you opt out of the spacial framework. Squeezing in lots of tiny units with no infrastructure improvements. Top work Lib-Dems.
By Andy
Ironically the people complaining about not enough parking spaces are also the ones who complain about chronic traffic congestion.
The reason apartment buildings are designed with limited parking spaces is to deter people from driving therefore helping local traffic congestion. Aside from that, humans survived for millions of years before cars were invented – we have these things called legs. Get outside, touch some grass, walk a bit. There’s a big wide world outside your tiny carbon-monoxide filled car
By Anonymous
Mandating minimum parking ratios on apartment developments increases the price of the apartments while forcing them to have less amenity space and creates an incentive to build higher. It also ignores that people without cars might actually self-select to live there, especially if its near transit. Also thoughtful that in Stockport you can’t be fixated with protecting greenbelt and then somehow get sniffy when these kind of sites are developed.
By Rich X
Whilst I agree that the last thing we want to see are anymore Lycra clad bike botherer’s running over pedestrians around town, 39 spaces is not outside the norm for this number of apartments in such a location . Wouldn’t do for me though, my 5 litre Range Rover just wouldn’t fit.
By St Peter
@November 19, 2024 at 10:39 am
By Rich X
Quite. If you want less development on the greenbelt, you have to use brownfield space in the town centre wisely like having more apartments and townhouses by public transit.
By Rye
Once more Stockport Council proves their absolute ineptitude. 109 flats with 39 parking spaces do the sums guys. No affordable housing, as a life long Grover the place is an absolute disgrace because planning seem convinced the way forward is bars, restaurants and empty shops and for this £200k for a terrace. Whoever keeps voting the Lib-dems in hang your heads in shame.
By Rob Davies
For the last fifty years 6 per cent of all land in the UK has been built on
Release just one more per cent and the problem is solved.
By Anonymous
Still no affordable housing and all these top 100 places to live Stockport gaslighting aren’t helping. Everyone, who doesn’t live in sk1, believes it’s this wonderful place to live. Hard truth…it really really isn’t. Huge crime problems, poverty everywhere and possibly one of the most racist places I’ve lived. After 18 months here I’m out. If you’re interested in my tiny one bed apartment at 1k pcm you’re very welcome to it. Good luck Stockport, I won’t miss you.
By Anonymous