Cityheart’s Lyme at Stopford Park among first in the UK to secure Gateway 2 approval

Regeneration specialist Cityheart has announced that Lyme, its new residential building at Stopford Park – a new neighbourhood in the heart of Stockport – has successfully secured Gateway 2 approval under the Building Safety Regulator.

The achievement places Lyme among the first 20 buildings nationwide to reach this milestone, marking an important step forward for the project.

Lyme at Stopford Park will deliver 258 one and two bedroom homes over 16 storeys, adding high quality new homes to Stockport town centre on former parts of Stockport College’s campus. The project remains on track to start on site later this year.

Located next to the War Memorial Art Gallery, Stopford Park is a 442 home development that will transform a key part of Stockport into a vibrant residential neighbourhood designed around colour, creativity and community. Alongside new public spaces, the development will include a landscaped ‘Art Park’ for residents to enjoy.

Lyme will sit alongside two other residential buildings at Stopford Park. Bosden will be the first to welcome residents, having topped out in December, and will offer a mix of one and two bedroom homes, going on sale this spring. Torkington will follow, delivering 122 high quality build-to-rent homes through the careful transformation of a former office building, with Lyme completing the neighbourhood later this year.

The news is particularly significant given the rigorous standards set by the Building Safety Regulator. Since assessments began in October 2023, industry data shows that just 11 of around 130 applications have been approved so far. Lyme’s approval reflects Cityheart’s strong commitment to building safety and to delivering well-designed homes people can feel confident living in.

Greg Ball, Development Director at Cityheart, said:

“We’re really proud to reach this milestone for Lyme at Stopford Park. Securing Gateway 2 approval under the new system reflects the care and hard work our team has put into doing things properly. Stockport is changing quickly and we’re pleased to be playing our part in creating high quality new homes in the town centre. It’s a great moment for Cityheart and for Stopford Park.”

Nasar Ishfaq, Direct at R5 Consultants, BR Principal Designer, said:

“As Building Regulation Principal Designer and Advisor to Cityheart, our multi-disciplinary team welcomed the challenge and opportunity to provide direction for Lyme. We defined a coordinated submission strategy which secured approval whilst maintaining flexibility and without compromising compliance. We’re excited to see construction start.”

Gateway 2 approval is a key stage in the new building safety process, involving detailed scrutiny of a building’s design, structure and fire safety measures before construction can begin. With more than 37,000 homes currently going through the process nationally, Lyme’s approval highlights the progress being made at Stopford Park and the team’s proactive approach to meeting the new requirements.