Approval for £350m Stockport 8
Stockport Council has voted to grant permission to the landmark project, which would see the building of up to 1,328 homes on eight acres straddling King Street West in the town centre.
Stockport 8 is being developed by a joint venture made up of Stockport Council and English Cities Fund, itself a partnership made up of Homes England, Muse, and Legal & General.
The approved application was a hybrid one, with outline permission for the entire project featured as well as details for its first phase.
This phase, designed by architect Shedkm, would include three apartment blocks of up to 11 storeys with a total of 435 apartments between them. On the ground level would be a total of 9,500 sq ft of commercial space. The flats are to be energy efficient and capable of achieving net zero status.
Of the 435 apartments, 82 are affordable. Of those, 59 have been designed to meet accessible and adaptable standards.
In addition to the residential blocks, the project includes a new public square, cycle lanes along King Street West and Viaduct Street, sustainable drainage systems, and the planting of more trees.
Main contractor Vinci is aiming to be on site building this phase next year, with an eye to completing the work in 2028.
Future phases of Stockport 8 are 413 homes on what is known as Plot 2 and 480 homes on Plot 3. Plot 2 is bordered by King Street West, Wood Street, Chestergate, and Gough Street. Plot 3 is south of Daw Bank. These phases will become the developer’s focus in 2029.
The entire scheme has a projected development cost of £350m.
“This isn’t about old Stockport or new Stockport – it’s about building a better Stockport for everyone,” said Stockport Council Leader Cllr Mark Roberts.
“Stockport 8 is part of the UK’s largest town centre regeneration, giving us a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a place that works for families, young people and older generations alike.”
ECF development director Joe Stockton added: “It was clear during the community consultation that Stopfordians are fiercely proud of their town, its heritage and its communities.
“So, we want to stay true to our word by making sure this remains a place for everyone, with homes to suit all ages and circumstances, and a place that celebrates the area’s strong community spirit and rich heritage,” he continued.
“People will start to see changes taking place quite quickly now as we get started on phase one.”
Stockport 8 is part of Stockport Council’s £1bn Town Centre West regeneration project, a scheme that is being spearheaded by the Stockport Mayoral Development Corporation.
Stockport MDC managing director Catherine Chilvers spoke more about the organisation’s approach to Stockport 8.
“We’re not adopting a one-size-fits-all approach at Stockport 8 LLP, but instead, we are investing in high-quality and energy-efficient housing that offers so much more for people at all stages of life,” she said.
“The development sets the bar high for town centre living, creating a considered neighbourhood for residents along with leisure and employment opportunities, while outdoor squares, with a multitude of uses, will allow people to feel connected and enable families to grow.
In addition to Shedkm, the project team for Stockport 8 includes project manager Walker Sime, planner Deloitte, landscape architect Planit, MEP engineer Tace, structural and civil engineer Renaissance, transport consultant Arup, and engagement specialist Font Comms. Arcadis is the cost consultant.
To learn more about Stockport 8, search application reference number DC/094376 on Stockport Council’s planning portal.
Wow Stockport is really flying now that it’s no longer in that ‘Houses for nobody’ framework plan or whatever nonsense it was called. Hope the rest of Manchester sees sense and just consign that to history..might actually get something done then!
By Anonymous
Yes, Stockport is really flying since all development became funded by the public purse.
By Ram Tailor
The public purse is not funding all development in Stockport. Please at least try to pay attention.
By Doh!
Anonymous 12.37 – Manchester and Salford are the two fastest-growing cities in the UK both in economic and population terms. Both right at the heart of Places for Everyone. Hope this helps
By modest
Irrespective of whether the public purse is funding Stockport or not in this instance, the public purse absolutely should be funding construction throughout the country. Neoliberalism is a curse that needs to be broken. Rare political rant over!
By Tom
Stockport town centre is almost dead, the locals do not even tend to shop there nevermind work there. A small amount of bars and eateries are the only ones bringing the only income and fun to stockport. Building these apartments does not bring anything except more ugly and unejoyable places to live. Why not build houses with gardens that families can enjoy? Instead we shall fill these eye sores with imigrants and anyone else willing to live in a cheaply built block of trouble. These high rises bring way more crime than anyone likes to admit.
By Anonymous
Great to see Vinci picking up this scheme. They champion local Contractors, with local labour and seem to be one of the best Contractors out there on the quality scale having seen developments such as New Victoria. Well done Stockport, well done Muse and well done Vinci.
By C0nstruct1c0n
Anonymous 12.37pm – nice try in trying to spin the unspinable! As we all know, since Stockport pulled out of the Places for Everyone framework the Greenbelt around the Borough is being ravaged by developers, something that wouldn’t have happened if they remained in the framework.
By Anonymous
Anonymous 12.37 – sadly leaving Places for Everybody will now see Stockport’s green fringes wiped out by residential development.
By Anonymous
Incredible scenes as Anonymous 12.37pm grasps entirely the wrong end of the wrong stick.
By Green Belt Ben
Modest , I know I live in one of them. No need the mansplain for me thankyou. The point is they are very successful and would be regardless of that ridiculous plan..just as Stockport is finding its feet too..and about time.
By Anonymous
Yep not all Bout city centre and Salford..were 1 city region so embrace it just like County have new stadium plans as well as Oldham so go with it otherwise we could all be living in Stoke or Burnley..
By Pat
Who is going to afford all these apartments. It’s getting more like Manchester
By Margaret
My mother owns a house on the hill what does this mean for her
By Mrs Patricia darby
More crime. More road congestion. More potholes. No suitable accommodation for disabled communities. Not enough schools, GP’s, hospitals, care homes. The list is endless.
By Anonymous
That’s a comparatively small number of affordable homes
By Anonymous
It us almost impossible to get a GP face to face appointment and when I went to A&E earlier this year there was a sign advising 10 hour wait to see a doctor. This is not compatible with more people coming to the area. How do you plan to address this growing problem.
By Anonymous
It’s getting quite draining seeing the “who can afford these” comments. Given that most of Greater Manchester’s new builds are quickly occupied, the answer is lots of people. Just because you and everyone you know earn mediocre salaries, it doesn’t mean there aren’t many people who do a lot better than you.
By Anonymous
Whilst I agree with having residential here, and mixed used town centres in general @August 17, 2025 at 10:06 am
By Anonymous remark has the unfortunate whiff of snobbery about it.
By Anonymous
In my opinion not enough affordable properties or spaces for parking. When all of this is done will the council do something about the shortage of some good shops for these people. Shopping in Stockport is sadly lacking.(shield shops clothes shops …..)
By Pat
August 15th @12.37pm and 6.34pm – you obviously have not appreciated what is happening with housing numbers in Stockport, the implications of the new NPPF and the lack of a Local Plan in Stockport. Sitting in PfE would have offered more resilience to the Council to defend the green fringes but sadly the politicians gambled on a Conservative Government getting elected in order to protect their decision – and lost the gamble!
By Anonymous
Where is anyone seeing a lack of value for money. Vinci are a tier 1 contractor charging some of the highest build costs in the land. How is this allowed to happen? Who isn’t challenging this waste of public money that’s happening in plain sight.
By Anonymous
Ruining the view of the arches by the week with arse ugly tower blocks. Greed is good they say? Yeah right
By Anonymous
@Anonymous (August 18, 2025 at 9:03 am) Appointing a higher quality contractor with higher build costs almost always results in a scheme which a) costs less to deliver (because you don’t have to go back and resolve things which have been poorly done in the first place) and b) costs less to maintain in the longer term (because they’ve built things robustly with quality materials that last).
By Anonymous
What complete and utter nonsense in response to the Vinci comment. Both are only true if you can’t manage to deliver a scheme without reliance on over inflated prelims and the second if the scheme is incorrectly specified. Please go back to development for dummies!
By Anonymous
Way to go Stockport despite the obvious spin and keyboard chewing from those who want to pretend that PPfE was the solution to everyone’s problems. Thankfully dead in the water for Stockport now…where next?
By Anonymous
What a shame it’s going ahead. It will ruin the view of the famous viaduct with trendy buildings which will look rank and dated in 20 years time like the red rock and Mersey way. Why can they build something that will look good in a 100 years time, like the Victorians did
By Tim
Given the existing pace of development, this could be decades away if at all
By MJC
People saying it will block views of the viaduct. I’m sorry but the hideous motorway, grey tarmac, surface car parks and industrial sheds surrounding the viaduct currently ruin the view of it already.
By Anonymous
Its not grand enough. Massively publicised project but on the small scale. The buildings need to be taller
By Anonymous