
Stockport Council has launched the borough’s first Green Print, setting out its ambitions for how the town can take action on climate change.
Stockport adopted its first Climate Action Now (CAN) plan in 2020 as part of how it aims to be a carbon neutral borough by 2038 alongside the rest of Greater Manchester.
The Stockport CAN plan will now form part of a ‘Green Print’ for the borough to be a climate-friendly place to live, work and invest. It sets out the council’s ambition for the borough and that we mean business when it comes to tackling climate change. Through a positive agenda, the Council hopes climate will lead to green investment and growth that ultimately benefits residents through place-making, job creation and an improved environment.
Since adopting its Stockport CAN plan, Stockport Council has seen more than £6.5 million of inward investment and grants awarded to the borough to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for climate change. The recent installation of solar panels at eight sites across the council’s estates have seen more than £30,000 saved in electricity costs in July alone.
Further green investment in the council’s infrastructure that will help tackle climate change can be seen in more than £100 million being won by the council for electric buses, new public transport infrastructure such as the new Cheadle Railway Station, active travel improvements and a new park for the town centre as part of the Interchange project.
During the full council meeting held on Wednesday, October 4, Cllr Mark Hunter, Leader of Stockport Council, unveiled the ‘Green Print’ for the future. He said:
“We want Stockport to be a climate-friendly place to live, work and invest.
“We are leading innovative approaches to engagement that are now being adopted by other councils across the country, and the spotlight shone on Stockport at the GM Green summit on Monday shows us to be leaders on this across the region.
“I have been clear that, while we are doing some excellent work, there is more that we must do.
“We need more Climate Action and we need it now.
“It is very much the intention of this administration to set out a ‘Green Print’, for action on all fronts – a Green Print for homes, jobs, health, education and transport.
“Our Stockport Climate Action Now Green Print will feed into all areas of the council for delivering a sustainable future for Stockport and help to significantly accelerate the amount of green infrastructure within the borough.
“By having this vision, it will help us to secure more investment in clean, green technology and by having this Green Print for the future it will mean more green jobs and skills for our residents.”