Family property developers Hall & Co have further demonstrated their long-term commitment to Stockport with an ambitious scheme to breathe new life into the town’s historic Underbank area.
Andrew Hall, managing director, explains why he believes Stockport is the perfect place to invest and contribute to its future success:
“We founded Hall & Co in 1998 and have continued to work with innovative partners to deliver new and enterprising schemes, continually raising the bar and setting new standards. That’s what excites our team and in 2015, we grabbed the opportunity to develop a new concept in Stockport – a 50/50 mix of co-working, flexible office space and contemporary town centre living in an historic, listed building. Bank Chambers in the Market Place, a beautiful but neglected former banking hall built in 1868 for the Bank of Stockport, offered plenty of challenges but we saw masses of potential. After a £2m investment and a lot of hard work, ProFolk launched in November 2019 and welcomed its first clients.”
But in just 6 years, Hall & Co’s vision has been eclipsed. Stockport is now well underway with a £1bn programme of investment to regenerate the town centre, to meet the increasing demand for superior office accommodation and provide greater choice for town centre living which is why the firm is keen to expand its portfolio in Stockport.
“Stockport is a mix of historical buildings and rich heritage blended with the more modern shopping centre and contemporary spaces. Despite the restrictions brought about by coronavirus and subsequent lockdowns, we’ve seen for ourselves that there is an appetite for a new offering, a complimentary blend of both commercial and residential accommodation.
“Our next investment is planned for the historic Underbanks area; despite it taking almost 18 months to agree the right scheme, our £17m investment into a mix of flexible and contemporary commercial and residential space will enhance the whole area.”
Andrew is fully encouraged by Stockport Council’s ambition and determination to regenerate the town centre, focusing on creating sustainable communities and providing amenities to satisfy the demands of business, residents and visitors. In late 2019 the town was awarded a coveted Purple Flag in recognition of its status in meeting the standards of excellence in managing the evening and night time economy. The challenge now is to ensure a good mix of amenities that will attract a constant growth in footfall throughout the day to drive economic growth.
“The new transport interchange, future phases at Stockport Exchange, the Weir Mill development, regeneration of Merseyway and future schemes are all important pieces of the jigsaw to deliver a location of choice for everyone and a sustainable town centre.
“Our investment in Stockport is ongoing. We follow our hunches; if we can see an opportunity we will find a way to deliver it. I don’t believe the High Street is dead but it will have to reinvent itself to survive. In the future, the success of town centres will be governed by its offering and its communities. I’m a big believer in working collaboratively; by sharing facilities, we could offer greater choice; if we have an office in use during the day, we could offer it to the community for evening activities; empty roof tops could be transformed into kitchen gardens. The opportunities are endless. Home working has led to us being asked to create a kitchen garden at our development in Henbury, a great communal space and one that could easily be replicated.
“Stockport has an exciting future and here at Hall & co, we are proud to be part of it.”
Andrew Hall in conversation with Helen White
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