Progress on huge town centre overhaul

Releasing four underused plots of land could unlock the £11.1m scheme to give Stalybridge’s western edge a facelift.

The area of the Tameside town – near the train station – has been targeted for new housing, improved roads, public realm upgrades, a new multi-storey car park and a pedestrian footbridge. The idea behind this is to deliver regeneration of the town centre, attract further investment, and deliver vital new housing.

In order to do this, Tameside council is now looking to remediate some of their own land in order to kickstart this project. 

Council car parks on Waterloo Road and Castle Street, as well as vacant land on Caroline Street and Bridge Street are all touted for remediation. This means, if plans are approved, the land parcels would have pollutants or contaminants removed so it is safe to reuse for future development.

Once this land is remediated, the local authority can surge ahead with their planned redevelopment. 

A Tameside council spokesperson said: “I can confirm that these are the council owned sites identified for new residential development and the new multi-storey car park in the case of Waterloo Road. 

“This is set out in the Stalybridge Town Centre Framework, Stalybridge West Development Prospectus and on the Council Regenerating Stalybridge webpages. 

“These planning applications are required so that the land can be remediated to enable future development.”

The proposed new multi-level car park would replace existing surface level car parking that would be lost through the remediation process. The footbridge across the River Tame would then help improve access to the new residential quarter of the town.

A vision for the Stalybridge West masterplan read: “A lively urban quarter in the town. When developed, the plans provide for a mix of housing types and tenures, from one bed apartments to larger family homes, available in secure environments surrounded by new and refurbished commercial and public buildings enhancing local services, set within a high-quality public realm environment.

“A new destination created with local jobs, amenities, public spaces, access to leisure, the river and canal towpaths, town centre cultural activity, where homes will be central to the hub of activity. 

“The existing and future town centre regeneration projects and programme will continue to run alongside the Stalybridge West redevelopment sites and together they will spearhead a new chapter for this Town on the edge of the Peak District with easy access to the major cities of Manchester and Leeds.”

This all forms part of a wider redevelopment strategy in the town after it was awarded £19.9m of Levelling Up funding. 

Elsewhere in the town, the cash injection will go towards the regeneration of the Astley-Cheetham Library and Art Gallery; Stalybridge Civic Hall; public squares; and the road network.