A new state of the art, low carbon business park has been announced as one of three transformational projects for Stockport suburb Cheadle alongside a new railway station and improved walking and cycling routes.
The projects have been given the go-ahead after the Government approved the £13.9million funding as part of the Towns Fund scheme.
The state-of-the-art Low Carbon Eco Business Park on Bird Hill Lane will support small and large businesses as it accelerates the growth and development of the local green business sector.
The eco business park will provide new opportunities for businesses and job growth in modern high quality industrial units using state-of-the-art eco technology to minimise its carbon footprint and to generate local energy.
Setting the standard for low carbon technology and green energy production the new 110,000 sq. ft business park will provide light industrial and incubator space which has the potential to accommodate over 200 quality jobs. The main units can be subdivided to create smaller spaces suitable for start-ups and early-stage green businesses.
The entire development will be built using carbon reduction technologies including roof mounted solar PV and batter storage, green roofs and heat pumps. It will include EV charging points, cycle parking and will be connected to a new cycling and walking network to encourage active travel to and from the site as well as linking to the new railway station.
The new railway station will connect Cheadle into the regional public transport network, transforming accessibility to Stockport Town Centre and improving connectivity along the Mid Cheshire Line. It will feature a single 100m-long platform with covered waiting facilities as well as covered parking for cycles, electric vehicle charging points and provision for disabled users.
The Station will be complemented by a strategic north- south cycling and walking route that will link Cheadle to its High Street and the proposed station. This new cycling and walking route will promote sustainable travel and link Cheadle to its High Street and the new rail station. It will also connect to wider cycle routes on Manchester Road and in Abney Hall Park to promote healthy and clean travel options.
Sharon Seville, Interim Chair of the Cheadle Town Board said “We have worked tirelessly to bring this investment into Cheadle to help release its fantastic potential. There are still more hurdles to jump but we are all looking forward to the delivery of these game changing projects over the coming years. I am especially excited about the opportunities a new eco business park will bring to the borough and the sustainability template that it could set for future developments.”
Leader of Stockport Council Cllr Mark Hunter added: “The Council, has supported these projects from the off, and it is great to see that we can start to turn plans into reality. I see these projects as benefitting the whole of Stockport for generations to come.”
Mary Robinson, local MP, also on the Board, said, “This is a great day for Cheadle and it’s fantastic to have secured this funding from the Government. A new station will plug Cheadle into the public transport network and help to address local congestion. I’m so pleased that the Station can now start to be brought forward”.
Before work can start, each scheme is subject to the required consents being obtained and detailed agreements.
