Construction of a new rooftop park above Stockport Interchange has reached its next milestone with the planting of the park’s first trees.
The redevelopment of the former bus station by Transport for Greater Manchester and Stockport Council will see the area above the new interchange transformed into a two-acre public greenspace in the heart of the town centre.
The project is committed to complying with Stockport Council’s 2:1 tree planting policy, with a minimum of two trees planted for each one removed. This includes the planting of 95 new trees in the new park and approximately 400 more across the wider development and town.
The park will be equipped with a ‘blue-roof’ drainage system designed to capture and store rainwater, allowing controlled run-off into drainage outfall and watercourses, mitigating flood risk and further supplementing the sustainable features within the development.
Cllr Mark Hunter, Leader of Stockport Council, said: “The Interchange is a key part of our borough’s £1billion transformation and the park will become a real asset for our town centre.
“The new park will be a fantastic new green space in the heart of our town – a space that everyone will be able to use.
“It was a great moment to be able to plant one of the first trees in the park and once they are established, they will have a positive impact on the area.
“I’m really looking forward to revealing more details in the upcoming months.”
The Interchange project, due to open in 2024 is being delivered by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), Stockport Council, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and contractor Willmott Dixon. It will feature a fully accessible covered passenger concourse with seated waiting areas, 18 bus stands, cycle storage facilities and more. The scheme also features a 14-storey residential building.
Solar panels are to be installed on both the roof of the residential development and the interchange itself to provide additional renewable energy resource.
Image credit: TFGM
- Words:
- Bradley Lengden
- Published on:
- Thu 24 Aug 2023
