Don't Hide Our Viaduct: Save Weir Mill

Since Stockport Council have yet to determine the planning case, and appear instead to be in negotiations with the developers and Greater Manchester Mayor's development commission over the amount of public subsidy for the scheme, petitioners might like to object directly to the tower in the project via the Council's planning portal at: https://planning.stockport.gov.uk/PlanningData-live/simpleSearchResults.do?action=firstPage

Revised image attached at head of this website illustrates the height of the proposed tower next to the Grade II* listed Viaduct. Apartment owners with flats facing the viaduct piers would have zero views. Those in the tallest part of the tower, facing west would have millions of rail commuters looking into their homes instead of enjoying Stockport's townscape.

Ex-pat Stockport folks seem to be prevented from signing the petition by 38-Degrees operating system. For those wishing to sign, but prevented from doing so, please send your name, country and post code to me at [email protected]

According to the Planning Statement issued by the developers' planning consultants in March 2019 (p15 para 5.16), the offending tower was originally planned for the west side of the viaduct but then, after consultation with Stockport council, was to be moved to the east side and raised in height. But by October 2019, and the submission of the revised planning application, the tower design was back on the east side, facing the town centre, hiding the Mill and Viaduct, and raised in height to 14 storeys. So who influenced this decision? Was it to align with the Council's own Town Centre West plans, already published with an illustration of the planned tower on the east side? Did the Council change its mind and suggest this to bolster arguments for the erection of its own tall Interchange tower further south? The council does not seem to have an urban design strategy for the Mersey Gorge and valley at the heart of the town centre.

As of today, we have 886 signatures on the petition. In contrast, the original developers' "consultation" process made a leaflet drop to 100 nearby premises, and held a "public exhibition" for 5 hours at Stockport's Masonic Guildhall. So much for engagement with interested parties at an early stage (Planning Policy Guidance).

Please add your post codes to your signatures to held validate the petition and provide us with data on the geographic spread of our support.

New image from developer's planning application reveals how the tower will hide the Grade II listed mill and partially hide the Grade II* Viaduct. What the image does not show is the council's own Interchange Tower, planned for far right of view that will also hide the viaduct.

Stockport Council issued artists' renderings yesterday of the new bridge for the pedestrian / cycle route from the rail station to the new Stockport Interchange bus station. The renderings studiously avoided views of the looming 19 storey tower at the interchange. The view north alluded to long views across the Grade II* viaduct. But those views will be blocked if the current Weir Mill tower proposal is built, as it blocks central views.

Bad news today from Stockport Council that the new owners of Weir Mill, Capital and Centric, are continuing with the former owners' planning application including the Hodder design for a tower concealing the mill and viaduct from the town centre. Stockport Heritage Trust has contacted other objectors to continue the fight to a public inquiry. Please raise more signatories for the petition. Lets reach 1,000 in the next few weeks?

The Trust reached out to Capital & Centric and received a cordial response stating that its plans were at an early stage. We understand that C&C met with senior officers and councillors in Oct 2019 to take soundings. But no further announcements have been made and the current planning application appears to be in abeyance. Meanwhile, at a strategic level, the results of the Council's consultation on its Town Centre West regeneration framework was reported to SMBC and is on the council's website at the following URL: http://democracy.stockport.gov.uk/documents/g26524/Public%20reports%20pack%2012th-Nov-2019%2018.00%20Cabinet.pdf?T=10. The public want heritage preserved and reused; not damaged or hidden from view; new buildings and their siting should pay homage to the viaducts.

News from the North West today: Maryland Securities, the developers of the Grade II Weir Mill proposals that include the tower obscuring both the mill and the Grade II* viaduct, have unexpectedly sold the site to Manchester developers, Capital and Centric Ltd., in an undisclosed deal. Is this an opportunity to lobby the new owners for a revised scheme that removes the offending tower and seeks additional enabling land to the west on King Street West and incorporates locally listed Mentor House? More signatures are needed!

Behind Weir Mill on King Street West, adjacent to the bridge, is a locally listed 1912c Edwardian Baroque brick and sandstone building called Mentor House. It was formerly the offices and workshops for the Chestergate Hat Manufacturing Co Ltd., and is one of the few remaining structures of Stockport's famous felt hat making hey day. The Council and Stockport Heritage Trust are fighting to keep this too.

Our petition and formal objections joined other objectors e.g., the Victorian Society and Historic England, and caused Stockport Council to seek additional clarifications from the developer.

The developer's response was to dismiss our objections as raising no substantial harm and countering by proposing an increase to the height and mass of the offending tower, to which we all objected again, and pointed out the unacceptable cumulative effect of existing and proposed tall towers along the iconic viaduct viewshed.

Of great concern is that the Council is promoting the tower scheme as part of its Town Centre West strategy while supposedly assessing the scheme in planning terms.

Bearing in mind that the national status of the Victorian Society and Historic England , the application is likely to be called in by government for a public inquiry.

So the fight goes on.