Sisk appointed to deliver £60m Weir Mill in Stockport
Capital & Centric won approval for the 253-apartment project last year and enabling work is already underway.
John Sisk and Son has now been appointed to build the scheme, which is expected to take two years to complete once work begins in June.
“The redevelopment of Weir Mill is a key building block in the transformation of Stockport and we are delighted to be working with Capital & Centric to bring it back to life,” said Alan Rodger, managing director, at Sisk’s UK North division.
“Sisk has a strong track record in the Northwest of delivering some great projects that bring life back to our cities and towns while retaining the link with the architecture of our industrial past.”
Capital & Centric acquired the site from Maryland Securities in May 2020 and lodged a planning application for the £60m project the following January.
Stockport Council approved the plans in October 2021 and agreed to forward fund the construction of the project later that month after approving a loan from the £100m Mayoral Development Corporation Investment Facility.
The redevelopment of Weir Mill, designed by BDP, will see elements of the complex retained and converted into flats.
In addition, Capital & Centric’s plans feature the creation of two new-build apartment blocks.
The scheme includes a total of 24,000 sq ft of amenity and commercial space.
BDP designed the development. Credit: via Font Comms
The project had divided opinion. While some people were happy to see the derelict mill repurposed, others claimed the new build elements impact negatively on views of the viaduct.
Weir Mill will “not only [be] a top place to live, but a visitor pull for Stockport,” according to Adam Higgins, co-founder of Capital & Centric.
“Weir Mill has been a constant presence in Stockport, with parts of the buildings dating back to the 1700s. Now it’s set to be the main character in the town’s next storyline,” he said.
“There’s no doubt, it’s a turbulent time at the moment, but we’re ploughing on. It’s creative neighbourhoods like this that will propel the region’s recovery. We’re itching to get on site in the coming weeks.”
Weir Mill is located close to Stockport 8, a new eight-acre site set to deliver up 1,200 new homes that was launched by the Stockport’s mayoral development corporation last week.
Stockport Council is forward funding the scheme. Credit: via Font Comms
“Weir Mill will be a catalytic site that will drastically improve the whole area,” said Lord Bob Kerslake, chair of the Stockport MDC.
“It is another fantastic example of the momentum and pace of transformation being achieved in Stockport thanks to a can-do attitude and collaboration across the board. We’re delivering on what the MDC set out to do, create long-term inclusive growth by transforming the town with new homes, jobs and sustainable communities.”
Stockport’s newly elected leader Lib Dem leader Cllr Mark Hunter added: “I’m delighted that we can take this next phase of Stockport’s ambitious £1bn regeneration forward as the MDC reaches its next milestone.
“For a developer of Capital & Centric’s reputation to deliver this strategic site is testament to the appeal of the MDC and Stockport and shows real confidence from the private sector. Our vison for the town centre is moving forward at pace and I look forward to plans progressing now the contractor has been appointed.”
Looking forward to seeing the final product, will be transformational for Stockport
By Matt
Nice deal when the Public Sector are literally underwriting / paying for everything!! why can’t we all have the same.
Would be interesting to know the build costs!!
By Mike
Good stuff. Get on with it! And get on with more in the rest of the MDC and wider Stockport town centre.
By Gethin
Great legacy for Stockport Labour
By Anonymous
This feels like a real moment for Stockport, impressive! looking forward to this one taking shape.
By Dave Burn
Hopefully this will ban investors and be for owner occupiers the way they have in Manchester. No mention of how they will sell them in the article. Can you confirm?
By Question
Who really wants to live in a tower next to the Manchester to London main line?
Another vanity project financed by local council tax payers. Flats and bars are great but what about doctors and dentists for all these new residents of Stockport
By Geoff
Ah, Schrödinger’s council! Simultaneously doing too much and not doing enough.
By Paul Dirac
Weir Mill is, and has been, deteriorating for many years and has become an eyesore. This project will radically improve the site, adding to the ongoing development in the area. I look forward to seeing the result. Stockport town centre has been neglected for many years and has fallen behind many Greater Manchester towns. These projects can only help to attract more business investment, creating more jobs which, in turn, helps the town.
By Morg
This is great for Stockport i cant help wondering about those who wish to reside in this new development area, directly adjacent to nosey A6, M60, and Manchester to London main railway line, oh! also you will be directly under the flight path to Manchester Airport which is 2 minutes by plane . Just Saying! Here’s to new development works around Underbank
By CBA
If you could compliment this development with the destruction of the Merseyway Shopping Centre and the freeing of the Mersey. I think Stockport has a real hope.
By Tristan
Can’t wait to see work starting on this project
By Lynda
All this redevelopment is all well and good, but it needs to be affordable housing and Stockport town centre needs to be able to support it all, which means shops and business must be encouraged to return , as it currently stands it hardly adequate. We need real jobs for people to be able to survive or Stockport will rot.
By Anne
Anne – The concentration of Council Housing (SK1) in the town centre is approximately 50%, the national average is about 25%. In order to rebalance the town centre, new developments should be for home ownership for at least the next 10 years (or institutional funds for buy to let). This should mean increased retail spend also, and hopefully repopulation of the town centre with local under 40s who have been renting in Manchester.
This is exactly what Manchester Council has just done in the town centre and only in the last 2-3 years have they started to reconsider their Affordable Housing requirement due to historic over supply. New office schemes are being built and let on the sheer weight of people now living, and spending money, in the re-populated town centre. A model for others to follow but… in my opinion, does require public sector underwriting or a long term view of a pension fund.
We need to be realistic about how commercially appealing the town centre is: developers are not making their millions on town centre schemes. Pragmatism and monitoring of prices will be key to getting the benefits you want (in 5+ years)
By Anonymous