Stockport

[flange]

Small Steps For Stockport's Grand Central

£100m office scheme making slow progress

Written by Simon Binns.

PLANS to revive Stockport's 4.7 hectare Grand Central scheme are progressing slowly a year after the local council bought the site.

The council acquired the site in January after plans to redevelop it with Norwich-based developer Targetfollow fell through. One of the developer's subsidiaries, Targetfollow Property Holdings, went into administration.

Muse Developments was appointed by the council last year to redevelop a scheme it claims can generate up to 700 new jobs and attract up to a further £100m in private sector investment.

Planning consent has now been granted for a new multi-storey car park on the site, after the council secured a £5m grant from Network Rail to help pay for it.

Work has now started to provide temporary car parking for commuters and users of existing leisure facilities in the period leading up to, and during, its construction.

Unoccupied public house The Cube has been demolished to make way for a 42-space temporary car park. The Tenpin bowling alley will be closing down in February and is slated for demolition in March, making way for another 150 parking spaces.

Councillor Dave Goddard, Leader of Stockport Council, said: “We’re making great progress so far on the regeneration of Grand Central, since buying it last year.

“Part of our plan is to provide an excellent offer to commuters, and make it more convenient for people to take the train. To make sure there is minimal disruption while we construct the new multi-story car park, we are making sure that temporary parking is provided for commuters and users of the leisure facilities.

“We’re working closely with our development partner Muse to create a premier office and commuter destination, which will create jobs, attract investment and benefit the borough. We mean business - we bought the site to guarantee positive action, and that’s exactly what we’re doing.”

http://www.manchesterconfidential.co...-Grand-Central

[Lookin Up]

<<<<<<<<Written by Simon Binns.
Unoccupied public house The Cube has been demolished to make way for a 42-space temporary car park. The Tenpin bowling alley will be closing down in February and is slated for demolition in March, making way for another 150 parking spaces.
Councillor Dave Goddard, Leader of Stockport Council, said: “We’re making great progress so far on the regeneration of Grand Central, since.....>>>>

Woaaawaw, have I stumbled across some form of distorted reality here? Some form of Orwellian Newspeak environment? Knocking down a disused pub to provide temporary car parking, closing down leisure facilities to make way for more temporary parking.......so that a £5m multi storey car can be built using quasi public money.......once proud Stockport hits a new low in ambition. Great progress indeed there Councillor Dave.

Still have family living there and they're pretty ashamed of the way the place has fallen on its face over the last 10-15 years.

[DiscoSteve]

I do find it bizarre that the Tenpin Alley is going...

[flange]

Not really when this happened.

Tenpin bowling alleys to close as Essenden enters CVA

January 25, 2012

Three Tenpin bowling sites in the north west are due to close after its parents company, Essenden, entered into a compulsory voluntary arrangement with its creditors.

The sites that will be affected are those at Pilsworth Industrial Estate in Bury, Grand Central Station Leisure Park in Stockport and the Greyhound Leisure Park in Liverpool. They will close by the end of February affecting around 60 jobs if the landlords are unable to find new operators for the premises.

Tenpin has also entered into an arrangement with the landlord at Chester, another site subject to the CVA, to continue operating the site at Greyhound Leisure Park on revised terms. A further site in Sunderland has been surrendered back to the landlords.

Its sites at Parrs Wood in Manchester and Cheshire Oaks will continue to operate as normal.

Essenden's bowling business, which is the second largest bowling operator in the UK with an approximate 20 per cent share of the market and 37 sites, said that a successful implementation of the CVA, which it enforced in September 2011, has enabled the business to remove its loss making sites.

In a statement Essenden said its trading over the six-week Christmas and New Year period to 8 January was up 1.6 per cent on a like-for-like basis on the core continuing estate.

The company says its strategy to drive more value to customers started to show some benefits during this Christmas period with like-for-like sales growth backed up by growth in footfall.

Like-for-like outlet sales on the core continuing estate, for the 52 weeks ended 1 January 2012, were down 7 per cent against the comparable period ending 2 January 2011.

Nick Basing, chief executive said: "We are encouraged by more sales and footfall than last year in our peak trading period. We believe our commitment to invest in value and service is being recognised by our customers despite the economic headwinds.

"Last year was transformational for the company.

"We have completed our cost restructuring, successfully removed our loss making tail via the CVA, continued to enhance the customer experience with investment in the business model through the launch of an online booking engine, new entertainment products, roll-out of Costa Coffee and re-invigorated the management team.

"The board believes this has created a solid platform for the business going forward."

http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereven...den-enters-cva

[flange]

Leisure scheme earmarked for Debenhams' Stockport site

1st February 2012

By Mike Fahy - Assistant Editor

STOCKPORT Council is set to buy the large Debenhams unit next to the Merseyway shopping centre with a view kick-starting a mixed-use leisure and retail scheme on the site.

The council's executive will be asked to approve financing the purchase of the leasehold on the Debenhams store for an undisclosed sum. Its intention will be to replace the building and car parking with a new mixed-use scheme at Bridgefield that will be anchored by a new Debenhams and new leisure operators.

The council already owns the freehold to the building, but the opportunity to buy the leasehold suddenly became available when its owners, Ambassador Holdings, fell into receivership.

Council leader Cllr Dave Goddard said the purchase would give the council control over the type of scheme which could be brought forward and ensure it complements the neighbouring Merseyway shopping centre.

He added that the project would be more manageable than the £500m project proposed at Bridgefield by developer Lend Lease until it abandoned its plans three years ago.

If the executive grants approval, the council may decide to bring forward an outline planning application for the site before appointing a developer to de-risk the scheme. It has already held talks with Debenhams, whose lease does not expire until 2036, about anchoring the scheme.

Talks have also taken place with Cineworld to see if the operator is willing to open a new multiscreen complex at the site following the closure of its unit at Grand Central, which was bought by the council for £15m from administrators last year with a view to triggering a major office-led development.

Cllr Goddard said: "When we bought Grand Central a year ago some people had a sharp intake of breath, but you've got to go out and make things happen. We're at a situation 12 months later where things are happening at Grand Central."

The council's service director for regeneration, Paul Lawrence, said that since the purchase the council had moved through the OJEU process to appoint Muse as development partner for a £140m, office-led scheme.

It has also secured a £5m grant from Network Rail to provide a new car park. It will soon begin work on demolishing both the former Heaven & Hell nightclub and the Tenpin Bowling unit to provide temporary spacing until this is built.

The car park is part of an initial phase which will also contain a hotel, offices and substantial public realm linking the station to the town centre.

Mr Lawrence said that the council was close to securing two pre-lets with potential office occupiers and had been working with GMPVF - owner of the adjacent Royal Mail sorting office site - about links between their projects.

Cllr Goddard said: "We've stopped the masterplanning and we've been trying to develop in bite-size chunks. But when you begin to connect them up it makes a real difference."

Another major boost to regeneration in the town was announced on Monday when the company which bought the 500-acre former Woodford aerodrome site from BAE announced that it had agreed a joint venture with Harrow Estates to bring forward a masterplan for the site.

"There was some uncertainty surrounding the ownership of the site, but that's now been resolved and we know who we're working with," said Mr Lawrence.

"Harrow Estates are now working with us on the masterplan and the supplementary planning guide for the site."

Harrow Estates is a subsidiary of housebuilding giant Redrow, and on a recent visit to the site Cllr Goddard said its chairman Steve Morgan recently visited the site and expressed the view that its location was potentially the best in the region.

Mr Lawrence added: "We think people have wanted to invest in Stockport for a long time. Our job is to make it easier for them to do it."

The Merseyway shopping centre has been in the hands of LPA receivers for almost three years since the collapse of its previous owners, but the scheme has held up well.

Managing agent GVA has brought in new tenants such as Primark which helped to boost footfall by over 6% last year. In the week prior to Christmas footfall increased by 20% to 300,000.

http://www.thebusinessdesk.com/northwest/news/

[flange]

Tenpin has now closed at Stockport, with metal fencing now up around the building preparing for demolition.

[nq]

Could actually rename this The Stockport Thread/Stockport Developments/***Official Stockport Thread***, I guess.

[flange]

Yes probably should nq.

Demolition begins at Stockport's Grand Central

19th March 2012

By Chris Barry - Editor, North West

DEMOLITION has begun of Stockport’s Grand Central leisure complex, as part of the first phase of ambitious regeneration plans.

The scheme will see the creation of a high-specification office quarter and key gateway into the town centre.

Stockport Council bought the site last year to bring forward the office-led development, which also includes attractive new public space, hotel and improved car parking.

Muse Developments has been appointed to deliver the project.

Phase One of the scheme includes a new multi-story car park, highway and pedestrian access improvements and dedicated cycle centre, by 2014.

Planning consent has been granted for the multi-storey car park and £5m secured from Network Rail.

Phase Two will deliver the first commercial office block, new public space, a new hotel and more highway and public transport improvements by 2015.

Phase Three will include a further three office buildings, extension of the open space and further improved accessibility for pedestrians by 2020.

Cllr Dave Goddard, leader of Stockport Council, said: “It’s just over a year since the council bought Grand Central and already we’ve appointed a development partner, secured planning consent and funding for a new car park and started demolition on site.

"We’re not willing to just stand back and wait - we saw an opportunity for real investment and we took it. We are making things happen in Stockport.

“This development will bring jobs and investment, but also crucially, people. People who will use local shops and services. It’s one of the ways we are driving footfall back to the town centre and making sure it thrives into the future.”

Matt Crompton, joint managing director of Muse, added: “Our plans for Grand Central will transform this important gateway to the town. Our track record and experience combined with the strong civic leadership and Stockport’s undoubted commercial appeal will unlock the potential of this stunning new office quarter.”

http://www.thebusinessdesk.com/northwest/news/

[flange]

From this months Shopping Centre magazine. http://content.yudu.com/Library/A1w2...m?referrerUrl=

Deals nearing completion for a new Gym to open in the former JJB unit. Deal being done for Schuh to open at Merseyway and a deal being done for the former River Island unit aswell, along with plans being drawn up for a food court development for Merseyway.

[andysimo123]

Little news on Stockport, after Sale have moved out....

County urge fans to come out in force

Stockport director Spencer Fearn has urged County fans to come out in force at the final two home games of the season after being handed back the keys to Edgeley Park.

Sale Sharks announced last week they would be moving to the Salford City Stadium in the summer, leaving County as the sole tenants. Although Sale’s owners Cheshire Sports still own Edgeley Park, County are set to gain all revenue from the ground while picking up the tab for running costs and maintenance.

Fearn has already seen a rise in takers for hospitality packages on match-days, while the club has launched an initiative offering season tickets for next season at just £120 on madhatterprices.com.

But first County are hoping to boost attendances for their next two games at home to Braintree this Saturday and Tamworth next week.

"I’m sure the people of Stockport will get behind the football club, as they have done for many years," said Fearn, who came aboard in January.

"One thing that attracted me to the club is the fanbase and how fantastic the support is. We need more and more people to come to Edgeley Park because we are going to need more money, and now the ground is our own, there’s different deals on the table."

While County will run Edgeley Park they will still owe Cheshire Sports rent and Fearn confirmed they are set for talks over next year’s tenancy. "We need to have a look at the lease we have with them currently and see if we can negotiate some of the terms within that lease," he said. "We’ve got to sit down with them and see what’s reasonable.

They’ve been extremely reasonable since I’ve been here, deferring the £75,000, and they definitely want the football club to survive, they don’t want to put us into any financial difficulty." Ultimately County hope to buy Edgeley Park back, with Fearn saying it does matter that the club own it again. "I always see a lease as a bit like renting a property, it’s a bit of dead money," he said.

"It’s better to get a mortgage and make sure the club then has an asset. The main thing now is to sit down with Sale, see how this is going to work moving forward and see what happens."

http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereven...all_comments=1

[flange]

Tenpin is now in the depths of demolition at Stockport, ready for the temporary car park for when the MSCP is being built.

[DiscoSteve]

Originally Posted by flange

Tenpin is now in the depths of demolition at Stockport, ready for the temporary car park for when the MSCP is being built.

yep its all looking a bit sad really considering it only went up about 20 years ago...

[CHAPS2034]

yep its all looking a bit sad really considering it only went up about 20 years ago...

Well I thought it was longer than that, but you're right - constructed in 1991

Doesn't time fly when you're having fun....

CW

[Joydivison82]

I really don't know what the answer is to Stockport but it does seem to get worse and worse every time I visit. It really needs some high class bars and restaurants to get the Cheshire set in.

I go to Stockport a lot to college and I also get my car serviced there, but other than I would never want to party or shop there. Give me the city centre, Chorlton or Didsbury anyday.

[andysimo123]

Originally Posted by flange

Tenpin is now in the depths of demolition at Stockport, ready for the temporary car park for when the MSCP is being built.

Walked past it this morning, and half of it is gone.

[Metropacer]

Some good pictures of the demolition here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/allengl...7601378444405/

I dare say a "temporary" car park will be a better welcome coming out of Stockport station than the back end of this building used to be.

[andrewh1973]

Originally Posted by Joydivison82

I really don't know what the answer is to Stockport but it does seem to get worse and worse every time I visit. It really needs some high class bars and restaurants to get the Cheshire set in.

I go to Stockport a lot to college and I also get my car serviced there, but other than I would never want to party or shop there. Give me the city centre, Chorlton or Didsbury anyday.

The only reason I ever go to grand central is for the cineworld, since the minor refit there last year it's a nicer place to go and a lot less crowded on a friday/saturday evening than Didsbury where you have to queue for ages for a ticket and sit where you're allocated least you risk sitting in a seat given to a pedant "I think you'll find that's my seat, sir"...

[Lookin Up]

Originally Posted by Metropacer

Some good pictures of the demolition here:

Aargh, doesn't this statement just sum Stockport up nicely.
What a shame. Used to be a nice town

[Saul Silver]

What Stockport needs is some snazzy new apartments slap bang in the middle of Merseyway.

They need to increase the population of the residents in the town centre (somehow).

Oh and an awful lot of demolition needs to take place.

[davey_jim]

Originally Posted by Saul Silver

What Stockport needs is some snazzy new apartments slap bang in the middle of Merseyway.

They need to increase the population of the residents in the town centre (somehow).

Oh and an awful lot of demolition needs to take place.

There are a few small scale social housing developments around the market and the former Peaches nightclub site.

What could make a big difference is the Hopes Carr and Covent Garden plans around Lower Hillgate.

I hope these can spur some revitalisation, because although there is the potential for a vibrant area around the Market and Underbank area, there isn't much going on after 5pm to keep you in the town centre currently.