PLANNING | Reddish data centre tipped for go-ahead

Stockport’s planning committee is also expected to greenlight Great Places’ proposals for a 148-home development close to Capital&Centric’s Weir Mill.

Plans for the data centre came forward last year. Kao Data wants to build a 40MW facility powered completely by renewable energy off Kenwood Road in Reddish.

With JLL advising, the project involves the demolition of an existing 160,100 sq ft warehouse on the 10-acre plot to make way for the £350m data centre, a three-storey building of around 280,000 sq ft.

With the project inked in for an stablished industrial area, approval is recommended.

Also fancied for a go-ahead is the latest town centre residential scheme to come before Stockport’s committee.

Designed by Paddock Johnson Partnership, the £34m Great Places project proposes the demolition of all buildings on the site, at the junction of Chestergate and King Street West.

Amendments have been made since the application was submitted, with tweaks made including siting, exteriors, and refuse/cycle space.

Great Places wants to develop two buildings rising to eight storeys high and occupying most of the frontages to King Street West and Chestergate, split out as 59 one-bedroom flats and 89 two-bedroom flats.

The scheme is designed by Paddock Johnson. Credit: Paddock Johnson

All 148 dwellings are proposed as being affordable housing with 47 being offered as rent to buy and 101 as affordable rent.

The buildings, which would be separated by an area of open space extending from Chestergate to the River Mersey would be positioned parallel with the frontages to both King Street West and Chestergate. A riverside walkway with stepped access to King Street West is proposed.

The eastern building fronting King Street West would be five to seven storeys high with the greater height to King Street West and lower to Chestergate. Within the ground floor is a lobby, parking for 52 cycles, refuse storage, a plant room and a parcel/post room.

A roof terrace over the lower element of this building accessible from the fifth floor level would offer external amenity space to complement the communal gardens.

The western building, fronting Chestergate, would house 101 of the flats and be seven to eight storeys.

The project has already passed muster at Stockport’s central area committee, with issues including the removal of the locally-listed Mentor House, a former hat works, dealt with. Approval is recommended.