Stockport – a great place to live, work and visit

Stockport has a rich and interesting history and benefitted from rapid expansion during the Industrial Revolution, helped particularly by the growth of the cotton manufacturing industries, and this heritage is evident around the borough.

Stockport is an unbeatable location, lying seven miles south east of Manchester City centre. London can be reached by direct train in two hours and Manchester in under 10 minutes. The town is also close to Manchester International Airport and directly off the M60 Motorway, making it a prime location with excellent connectivity to the North West and beyond.

The Stockport Viaduct is one of the largest brick structures in Europe. Built in 1840, it dominates the western approach to the town and its 27 Grade II listed brick arches, 34m high, carry the mainline railways from Manchester to Birmingham and London.

Stockport Council is building on this reputation with ambitious plans to make it easier to travel to, from and within Stockport. In partnership with Transport for Greater Manchester, the old bus station is being completely remodelled and replaced with a modern new Transport Interchange, complemented by a two-acre park and new housing.

This transformation is part of an ambitious £1bn investment in the town. Central to this is the creation of the Mayoral Development Corporation, the first of its kind nationally to focus on a town centre. The MDC is a new approach to tackling the challenges that town centres face and it will lead to the creation of a new urban village with up to 3,500 new homes and 1,000,000 sq.ft. of employment space incorporating a mix of office, workshops, retail and leisure, health and education as well as up to 5,300 jobs. In doing so, it will help provide the much-needed housing for Stockport now and for the future and put lowcarbon living and sustainability at its heart. It will also create new jobs and make the most of Stockport’s exceptional transport links providing new walking and cycling routes and green spaces to encourage healthier lifestyles. The town centre has also benefitted from Stockport Exchange, a £145million state-of-the-art office development, complemented by a hotel, new public realm and leisure facilities. The third phase was completed in March 2020.

Stockport town centre is arguably one of the UK's prime and best-connected business locations. A growing number

of jobs are being created as businesses recognise the skilled workforce and key location. Stockport is growing and looking to the future, creating new commercial districts that will complement the heritage of the town. It is home to over 11,000 businesses, including big business, creative industries and start-ups from a variety of sectors.

Stockport is being transformed as a great place to visit for people of all ages and backgrounds with an influx of new bars, restaurants, microbreweries and cafés choosing to set up business. Redrock leisure complex with a 12-screen cinema and a number of restaurants has been open for two years and has been an overwhelming success.

The town centre was recently awarded the prestigious Purple Flag accreditation for its evening and nighttime economy. This accreditation is similar to the Blue Flag for beaches and recognises the town centre as having a vibrant and diverse mix of dining, entertainment and culture while promoting the safety and wellbeing of visitors.

Stockport residents benefit from a great work-life balance with a wealth of leisure facilities right on their doorstep. Merseyway Shopping Centre and The Peel Centre are home to high street favourites and a great selection of independent stores.

Stockport has a great mix of the rural and urban. The town centre is the hub of commerce and business, while outlying areas offer desirable places to live in a green and leafy setting.

Stockport boasts more than 300 parks and green spaces, including eight parks with Green Flag Awards. The town is popular with walkers, cyclists and wildlife lovers given its location just half an hour from the Peak District. This creates a mix of leisure opportunities and encourages people to get out and explore the natural environment. Since signing the Armed Forces Covenant in August 2013, Stockport Council has created the Armed Forces Group and Armed Forces Champions Network, both of which interface with GMCA activity and link with other local authorities.

Stockport has provisions in place across housing, education, employment and more, including Our Revenues and Benefits service. This provides Council Tax discounts for any property in Stockport where service personnel are living away from home in armed forces accommodation. In turn, if a veteran is living away from home in armed forces accommodation, they won’t pay any council tax on their property. For Housing and Council Tax Benefits more broadly, there are provisions to disregard certain incomes and types of capital.

Across the borough, Stockport are promoting the Covenant through Business Rates, encouraging businesses to sign up to the Covenant and become a Forces-Friendly employer.

Stockport also has a wide support network available. Through Job Centre Plus and the Careers Advice, veterans can get guidance and support on benefits available to them, as well as developing skills to transition back to work. If more specialist employment advice is required, Stockport Homes’ Motiv8 Programme provides specialist, long-term support for veterans to build their confidence, integrate into civilian life, and find employment that works for them.

All of this, and more, can be found via the Armed Forces portal at our website, www.stockport.gov.uk/topic/stockportarmed-forces-covenant.