How one housing development could change the face of Stalybridge

The face of Stalybridge is about to change forever. Once synonymous with partying and nightlife as the notorious Staly Vegas, the Tameside town is being kept up by a different kind of racket.

The town centre is a building site at the moment, with the drilling and scraping from council contractors working to reshape the public squares. So it would have been easy to miss a significant housing scheme quietly getting the nod this week.Planning permission was approved for 102 new homes on the town’s western edge on Wednesday (April 15). This will kickstart a plethora of changes for the town’s western edge.

A mixture of three-storey town houses and apartment blocks will be built on unused land surrounding the train station. The Harrop Street car park, industrial buildings off Water Street and the land historically occupied by Rassbottom Mill will be flattened in order to facilitate 44 townhouses and 58 apartments.

Potential new residents in the complex would also benefit from ‘quality’ private spaces, including front and rear gardens; roof terraces; and access to the new riverside public realm.

This residential scheme would form part of a wider redevelopment of the entire town. Currently two pots of cash are pushing investment in both the town centre and the western edge of Stalybridge.

Stalybridge west has been targeted under a £11.1m scheme for new housing, improved roads, public realm upgrades, a new multi-storey car park and a pedestrian footbridge. Now the 102-home scheme has been approved, the proposed multi-storey car park and footbridge are soon expected to get planning approval also.

The proposed new multi-level car park would replace existing surface level car parking lost when the council sold off land to facilitate the development. The footbridge across the River Tame would then help improve access to the new residential quarter of the town.

The idea behind this is to deliver regeneration of the town centre, attract further investment, and deliver vital new housing.
Considering it takes less than 20 minutes to get into Manchester on the train from Stalybridge, it is easy to see why town hall bosses are pushing investment into unused land around the transport hub.

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.”

In the town centre itself there is already visible evidence of investment. A major redesign of Armentieres Square and Trinity Street started in February, with work on other elements of the centre to come throughout 2026.

This £20m regeneration scheme focuses on enhancing the town’s public spaces; attracting visitors to support local businesses; highlight Stalybridge’s cultural heritage; and bring in further investment and growth.

Armentieres Square, which is bisected by the Huddersfield Narrow Canal, would act as a centrepiece to the plan – hosting an event space with a stage complimented by new seating and tree planting.

A volunteer garden and improved street lighting for Grosvenor Square are mooted. The square that connects to Melbourne Street would also see art murals created on a blank façade as well as space on the street for business use.

Market Street and Waterloo Road junction would be narrowed to make Waterloo Road the preferred route around the town centre. The one-way system west of King Street would be extended and access to Castle Street from Melbourne Street blocked off.
Market Street would be re-established as the ‘gateway’ into Stalybridge with new paving and wider walkways for people – ‘creating a welcoming and joyful pedestrian- focused corridor’.

Some of the cash has already been spent rejuvenating Stalybridge Civic Hall roof and Astley-Cheetham Library and Art Gallery – dubbed the ‘cultural quarter’. Both historic assets have huge significance in the town and form part of the cultural heritage that has inspired the design of the public realm changes.

Town hall bosses see this as crucial to attracting more visitors in the future, by displaying the towns’ proud local identity and better serving its residents. Under the plans, the ‘cultural quarter’ would also create a seamless link between the town centre and the revamped area around the train station.

With all the work going on in Stalybridge and the food festival returning on the second Friday of every month, the town is slightly chaotic currently. Council bosses have thanked locals for their patience, believing the short-term trouble is worth it for the long-term benefits the plans will bring.

Coun Andrew McLaren, deputy leader and executive member for growth, housing and homelessness said previously: “This work is important for Stalybridge. These improvements reflect what residents, businesses and community groups have told us they want to see, a town centre that feels safer, greener, and more vibrant.

“We know there will be some disruption while the work takes place, but the end result will help revitalise the heart of Stalybridge and support its long‑term future. We’re grateful to everyone for their patience and cooperation as these changes get underway and we will be working hard to minimise the disruption.”