Plans have been submitted to Stockport Council seeking permission to demolish the current Lamborghini dealership on Edward Street Stockport and replace it with a four storey office building.
The application, submitted by Heald Green based NJL Consulting on behalf of Quorum Estates and Stockport Homes, includes for just over 6,500 sq.ft of internal office space enabling Stockport Homes to bring its employees from four sites under one brand new roof.
The site was originally acquired by Quorum Estates Ltd for residential use and benefits from an extant planning permission for residential development. This has not been implemented due to market conditions which dictated that Quorum Estates Ltd were unable to dispose of the site to a house-builder.
Stockport Homes act as a registered provider and also development partner to SMBC, managing social housing stock and assisting in the prevention of homelessness. Stockport Homes has almost doubled in size since its inception, which has put pressure on existing facilities, including their current head office which is now unfit for purpose.
According to the Planning Statement lodged with the application ‘the opportunity to relocate to the site at Edward Street will enable Stockport Homes to continue to provide an excellent and fundamental service within an ideal central location.’ 442 staff are expected to operate across the 4 floors which will hold 350 workstations.
The detailed application seeks permission for: ‘demolition of existing car showroom, vacant offices and vacant former workshop and erection of 4 storey office accommodation (Use Class B1) with associated access, basement and ground floor car parking, landscaping and ancillary works.’
The car showroom building was locally listed by SMBC in April 2009 due to its historical significance in connection to Hollingdrakes who initially developed and operated from the showroom in 1923.
The site also sits within the Stockport Town Hall Conservation Area, which was designated in 2005 and contains the listed Town Hall, Millennium House and Art Gallery/War memorial, along with a number of locally listed buildings including the current H. R. Owen showroom.