The George , Provincial Land, c Ollier Smurthwaite

The scheme takes inspiration from various local landmarks, including the viaduct. Credit: Ollier Smurthwaite Architects

Provincial Land tables plans for 16-storey Stockport resi 

The 76-apartment development would be located on the site of the former George pub, closed since 2017. 

Altrincham-based Provincial Land is behind the 16-storey development, designed by Ollier Smurthwaite Architects. 

Named after the pub it will replace, The George would provide a mix of one- and two-bedroom flats and add to the growing number of residential developments in the town centre. 

Nearby developments include Capital&Centric’s Weir Mill, the redevelopment of the former Stockport bus station – which includes 196 homes – and Stockport 8, a 1,000-home neighbourhood to be delivered by the English Cities Fund.   

Matt Shaw, director at Provincial Land, said: “What is happening in Stockport is exciting and we are thrilled to be part of that. 

“Our proposals aim to be of the highest standard in design and specification.” 

All of the apartments are dual aspect and have winter garden terraces, according to the developer. The scheme would also feature rooftop community amenity space. 

Matt Ollier, director at Ollier Smurthwaite Architects, said: “The significance of the site’s location at the gateway to Stockport demanded a high level of detail.  

The building becomes one of a cluster around the transport interchange. The form, detail, and materials take references from the listed viaduct, the terracotta-clad Plaza Theatre, and Stockport’s hat-making heritage to create something contemporary but firmly rooted in Stockport”. 

Paul Butler Associates is advising Provincial Land on planning matters. 

The George, Provincial Land, c Ollier Smurthwaite

Credit: Ollier Smurthwaite Architects

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A tasty little development that would look at home in the city centre, any town within the borough would / should be proud of having such a scheme.

By Anonymous

Looks great, but without serious work done with the A6, I really can’t get my head around who’s moving in? Noise pollution / air quality from the M60 & A6 is dreaful. I’d be interested in an apartment in the Weir Mill development if it weren’t for these concerns. Perhaps it’s all change once the temporary bus station is gone, and more resi. can take its place?

By Anonymous

Looks great. some ground floor commercial might be nice but otherwise love it

By Anonymous

Awful. The best anyone can say is that it’s better than Redrock… but what a low bar!! Stockport lost it’s way some years ago and even though I’m a resident i avoid the town centre these days.

By A P B

Fantastic!

I wish a MCR property developer would commission OSA to design a tall tower in the city centre. Looking a OSA previous work, it would look epic. So come on MCR property developers, if you’re looking at building a tall tower in MCR city centre, give OSA a call, please.

By jrb

Really like this scheme!

By Tom

Yet more tiny boxes to house people on. Horrible looking development with no imagination. What about Drs, Dentists and hospitals for all the thousands of people whom Stockport want to attract to live in the town? It’s impossible to get a Drs appointment or an NHS dentist now so what about providing facilities for people before allowing this boring looking tower to be built.

By Gerry

The George pub( and I no it well) has in relative terms a very small footprint, The logistics involved to build this project next to an arterial road will be immense.. Good luck with this one

By Tony

I really like the design of this building- particularly the tall arches at the base. Development like this is very much needed in Stockport

By Kate mirams

Where are all these residents going to shop. The town centre is an eyesore. There’s not a decent shop.

By Anonymous

That will look nice better then what is there now

By Dale hart

Looks amazing, wouldn’t be out of place in any city centre. Usual negative moaning in the comments to be ignored

By Heaton Chapel

It’s been said before by others and it needs to be expressed again, and repeatedly until someone gets the message. What needs to be put in place first before any further developments, the town needs more Doctor’s surgeries, Dentists, Clinics, schools, and more hospitals to be able to serve the increase in residents. Parking will no doubt become a major problem address those major issues provided within and the pending increase in the local population may be good for the future of Stockport. Not withstanding the possibility that these future dwellings could be acquired by central Government for other purposes.

By Anonymous

Stockport has lost its way.. Stockport used to be a great shopping centre. Fantastic market with character.. do we need a apartment it’s hideous.. a mish mash of architecture.

By Anonymous

Looks really good and blends in well with the viaducts, worthy of merit and adequate use of the site. However these days one has to assume Cars and parking for the residents, unless this would appeal to a younger market. The old post office wow what a transformation however that has adequate parking facilities and this site doesnt even mention it. Good Luck

By Simon

This is not a major increase in population, there is no need for new hospitals and certainly not schools just because of a new block of flats

By Gilly

Where will people park their cars? It’s in the heart of one of the most sustainably accessible places on the planet for goodness sake! Just because too many people now are addicted to their carbon fuelled metal box on wheels doesn’t mean we should waste space kowtowing to their every need going forwards. It’s as if some people commenting on here have somehow missed all the evidence about the detrimental impacts that car travel has on communities, socially, economically and environmentally. The more we can build high quality, high density development in places like this, so that people don’t have to be dependent on cars travel, the better.

By Gethin

It looks a mess, another tower building

By Jane

Great looking development. But merseyway shopping centre needs redevelopment and a whole load off shopping buildings filling and bringing back to life,for everyone who used to love shopping in Stockport Town centre and bring back the thriving market stalls back to how it used to be. Packed full of people shopping,it’s as well as the new builds this if anything is extremely important!

By Anonymous

It’s not the best. If they incorporated The George into the scheme, this could be interesting!

By Heritage Action

The proposed building appears very large in the graphic in proportion to its surroundings and will be dominant, unless other similar towers are eventually built around it.

I am interested not only in what infrastructure services are to be developed to support the many housing schemes currently under way in Stockport, but also what type of accommodation this tower will actually provide. There won’t be many buyers interested in purchasing a property standing on the roaring A6 and I agree with the comment on here that it may be purchased by Central Government for other purposes.

By Anonymous

Taller than some towers in Liverpool, fair play Stockport!

By Giant Skyscraper Fan

Looks like a decent quality scheme, but massively too tall/dense for a very small and hugely constricted site, hard up against the A6, which isn’t going to get any less busy/polluted anytime soon. Would be amazed if they can build this without long-term disruption and lane closures.
No mention of affordability either – is this going to be another one where the developer claims that because they’ve chosen to build something complicated on a very challenging site, there is no money left in the pot?

By Rotringer

Disgusting eyesore..NOT NEEDED in the town centre….shame on anyone who approves this monstrosity. More thought needs to go into making the town centre attractive and THIS building does the opposite

By TP

@January 30, 2024 at 2:13 pm
By TP

Ah, but is the town centre attractive. Stockport Old Town certainly is, plus a number of the civic buildings but Merseyway Shopping Centre…that can hardly be called attractive!

I would bulldoze Merseyway, open up the Mersey, and build new shop units, leisure and residential above this – and perhaps even a shiny new health centre with outpatient, MIU and diagnostic services.

The tower. For OSA is not one of their best but still be very decent and clever design and a clear cut above much dross.

By Rye&Eggs

Does Stockport need more unaffordable housing in what can only be described as an eye sore …NO. Stockport needs a decent shopping centre once again.

By Pmp

A different (Oldham-based) media outlet has used an image of this scheme in its report on this showing the tower stepping down towards the office block next door, which looks quite a lot better. Is the blocky, non-stepped one definitely what they are going for (which would be a shame)?

By Anonymous

    Hi Anonymous. The images the MEN has used are from an earlier, pre-planning iteration of the project. The images in this story are up to date. Cheers, Dan

    By Dan Whelan

The character of Stockport has been ruined, it is not a city, the lovely Market hall and precinct is now just full of eating and drinking and hardly any shops, it was criminal to cover the river years ago and should have been opened up again with shops either side of such a famous river, much more of a benefit to the town , the eyesore of Asda and car park right over it was a big mistake and rubbish everywhere on the Newbridge Lane side. How many more years for the town to improve,it was better 50yrs ago when we had shops.

By Anonymous

Too tall, intimidating, and parking for residents ???

By Anonymous

It’s called progression… get over it nimbys

By Anonymous

Looks like a stack of crates or a multi storey car park! Since covid don’t we need more gardens?

By SLM.

Judging by these comments I’m not sure Stopfordians deserve investment

By Anonymous

It is looking more and more like Manchester,Stockport was a small Town

By Annette Horton (mrs)

Disgusting. The historic and famous viaducts will soon be hidden behind modern monstrosities. The symbol of our town hidden. Let Manchester have this building. Suits them better.

By Anonymous

Exciting times ahead for Stockport…. I hope the naysayers will show their appreciation as this bold leap into the future becomes a reality….

By Derek George Marshall

The style of the building isn’t too bad but it looks rather out of place in the proposed area. Something with fewer levels would have been more appropriate. But the main thing that’s missing and as others have said, all these residential developments being built but no new schools, GPs, hospitals, police. All the residents are likely to have 1 or 2 cars, so anywhere between 76 and 152 extra cars on the local roads which are congested enough, unless the deal is you can’t have a car! Also, in the age of electrification, where do you charge electric cars when you live in these flats?

By Me

Great looking design, Stockport is really on the up.

By Anonymous

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