visitors to spend more time in the town and make linked trips as necessary. These services will be critically important in a town centre that is to support an increased residential population within walking distance.
396) All of the Policy Areas other than the Historic Heart include zones which are identified by evidence in the Stockport Character and Urban Density Study as being capable of accommodating over 11 storeys. Any scheme will need to comply with the requirements of Policy ENV 16.
The council will positively encourage enhanced and additional cultural activities and experiences that promote social interaction and establish the town centre as a place in which to gather and spend extended leisure time, including:
the modernisation and upkeep of facilities important to Stockport's visitor economy such as performance venues and museums;
the diversification and improvement of the town's leisure and recreation offer to promote wellness and appeal to a wide range of users;
new and enhanced markets, outdoor events and fairs;
growing the evening economy, seeking an increase in the number and range of restaurants and the use of public realm for eating and drinking outside;
enhanced interpretation of the town centre's varied and unique heritage;
opportunities to provide hotels and conferencing facilities to meet demand; and
the temporary use of vacant buildings and sites by creative, cultural and community organisations, particularly where they activate and revitalise the area and the public realm.
397) The wider town centre will increasingly become a focus for high density urban living and the hub of the town’s cultural life. Already home to visitor attractions such as The Plaza, Stockport Hat Museum and Stockport Market, it is intended that the town centre will be a vibrant and colourful heart to Stockport and its surrounding communities.