Construction completes on town centre affordable homes

14 affordable homes, including two social rent apartments, have completed at the Hopes Carr regeneration scheme in the town centre.

Viaduct Housing, a partnership between Stockport Homes and Stockport Council, have transformed a portion of the boroughs oldest surviving industrial area into a vibrant new community that preserves the area’s local heritage.

The mixed tenure scheme has been delivered by Seddon and provides 12 two and three bedroom homes for shared ownership, accompanied by 2 apartments for social rent. This latest phase of developments at the Hopes Carr site adds to the over 80 new homes already delivered on the site.

Given the site’s industrial past, bringing it back into use for housing has involved land assembly and complex remediation works which began around 20 years ago. Cllr Helen Foster-Grime, Cabinet Member for Communities and Housing at Stockport Council explained:

“Overcoming the many complex challenges of this former derelict industrial site since we first worked on transforming this brownfield site many years ago has been a huge credit to all the partners involved. I pay tribute to all the outstanding teams involved alongside Viaduct, in particular Stockport Council’s Strategic Housing, Seddon, Stockport Homes and Homes England for their superb tenacity and determination.

“Work around transforming and unlocking this brownfield location first started in the early 2000’s and finalised under our Master Plan set out in 2009. We’re delighted overall this area is likely to deliver several hundred homes in spite of the complex obstacles since we entered the partnership with Seddon in 2006. Hopes Carr benefits from the nearby Memorial Park which council Leader Cllr Mark Hunter opened last year, as well as all the improvements being made to the town centre, including the new transport interchange and retail and leisure facilities, which will be a great asset to residents.”

Completion of the latest phase of development will now enable the final stage of Hopes Carr’s regeneration thanks to financial support from Homes England to fund remediation of the brownfield site to make it suitable for housing.

Jonathan Seddon, CEO of Seddon said:

“Stockport has undergone significant regeneration in recent years, and it is a privilege for Seddon to continue to contribute to the town’s legacy with Hopes Carr. Echoing Stockport’s rich heritage has been as important as meeting the borough’s demand for high-quality and affordable modern homes. Our partnership with Viaduct Housing has helped us realise that vital criteria with great efficiency and sensitivity to the local area.

“Community-focused projects like Hopes Carr are a cornerstone of what we do. We are proud of the contributions we’ve made to the community through employment opportunities and supporting local charities such as The Wellspring and OWLS, and equally proud to have delivered phase 1, 2, and 3 works as part of this ambitious project. Transforming a disused brownfield site into a vibrant and family-friendly community will greatly support Stockport’s growth as both a town and a community.”

Ken Lee, Chair of Viaduct Board added:

“This scheme reflects the excellent partnership work that has taken place to deliver much needed homes for future generations to enjoy. We are delighted to be able to showcase the transformation of this once brownfield site and contribute to the completion of the Hopes Carr jigsaw.”