Great Places Housing Group tops out at town centre affordable housing scheme

Great Places Housing Group and partners have come together to celebrate the topping out of its landmark £41 million Hatters Yard affordable housing scheme in Stockport town centre.

Leader of Stockport Council, Cllr Mark Roberts, joined representatives from Great Places, Stockport Council, Homes England,  Bridgestone Construction and local community organisations at the Chestergate site, where construction has now reached roof level on the scheme’s two apartment blocks.

Once complete, Hatters Yard will provide 148 affordable homes, comprising of 101 apartments for Social Rent and 47 apartments for Rent to Buy. Rent to Buy helps people take their first step onto the property ladder by offering homes at below-market rent, giving customers the opportunity to save towards a deposit before buying their home.

Work began on site in August 2025 and is progressing well, with the primary concrete structure now complete and brickwork and window installation under way.

Designed to reflect Stockport’s industrial heritage, Hatters Yard will create a vibrant new community in the heart of the town. The development includes a landscaped public space and a new pedestrian route connecting the site to the River Mersey, helping to improve access and connectivity in the area.

The scheme is Great Places’ second development within Stockport’s Town Centre regeneration area, following the completion of Platform on nearby King Street West in 2025. Together, the two developments will deliver 221 affordable homes and form part of the ongoing £2 billion transformation of Stockport town centre – the largest town centre regeneration in the UK.

The Council’s town centre regeneration is accelerated by Stockport Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC), which is driving forward  8,000 new homes, one million square feet of employment space and new community infrastructure across Stockport town centre, creating new opportunities for people to live, work and thrive.

The homes are being designed to high environmental standards, with highly efficient heat pumps, rooftop solar panels and enhanced building fabric helping customers to reduce their energy use and lower their carbon footprint.

Alison Dean, Chief Executive of Great Places Housing Group, said:

“It’s fantastic to reach this important milestone at Hatters Yard and celebrate it with our partners and stakeholders.

“We know there is strong demand for affordable homes across Stockport. This development will provide 148 high-quality homes for local people, while supporting the wider regeneration of the town centre and creating lasting benefits for the community.

“We’re proud of the progress that has been made so far and look forward to seeing the development continue to take shape over the coming months.”

Cllr Mark Roberts, Leader of Stockport Council, said:

“The topping out of Hatters Yard marks another significant milestone in our ambitious £2bn regeneration of Stockport town centre.

“Following the success of Platform, this development will provide even more of the affordable and social homes our borough needs, while helping to reconnect this riverside location with the wider town centre. Working with partners, we are creating high-quality homes and vibrant, well-connected neighbourhoods where people can live, thrive and feel proud to belong.

“Standing on site today, you can see that ambition becoming a reality. Once complete, Hatters Yard will help more people access good, secure housing in a place that is connected, convenient and full of opportunity, and we can’t wait to welcome those who will soon call Stockport town centre their home.”

Mark Lyons, Managing Director of Bridgestone Construction, said:

“Reaching this milestone is a significant achievement for everyone involved in the project and reflects the commitment of the team on site.

“We’re proud to be working with Great Places and our partners to deliver high-quality affordable homes, while also creating opportunities and supporting local organisations through our social value programme.”

Alongside delivering much-needed affordable housing, Hatters Yard is already creating a positive impact in the local community. Social value activity to date has included supporting Signpost for Carers and Re:dish, funding educational sessions through Open Kitchen, supporting school holiday activities for children and young people, and creating work experience opportunities in construction for local people.

The development has already attracted strong interest, with more than 500 expressions of interest received for the Rent to Buy homes through Plumlife.

Construction is expected to complete in early 2028.