The council's vision as part of the Future High Streets Fund to repurpose units in the Merseyway precinct to provide a public services hub, hybrid working opportunities and leisure activities is a crucial first step towards improving the functionality of the town centre although further supporting services will be needed to provide the quantity, quality and mix of uses required to support a high-quality place to live. It is important that there is flexibility employed towards such uses ensuring the appropriate provision of supporting local infrastructure and services needed to support both existing and new urban communities.

Residential development, particularly at the high levels expected in the town centre, will place demand on existing open spaces and there are few opportunities to create new public open space. Town centre living requires imaginative solutions and therefore such schemes must explore the potential for new and improved public realm, on site in the first instance, in order to provide attractive facilities for prospective residents of all ages.

The town centre remains an area of employment, and in many cases town centre neighbourhood facilities will perform an employment function. However, where proposed town centre neighbourhood facilities would not provide an employment function, and would result in a loss of employment floorspace, it will be necessary to demonstrate through an Economic Statement that the requirements of policy BUS 3a are met. Where town centre neighbourhood facilities are proposed, these should not undermine the operation of existing uses, and it will be necessary to demonstrate how the proposed use supports, and does not undermine, town centre vitality and viability. Again, this should be set out through an Economic Statement.

It is recognised that town centre living alongside cultural and evening economy uses can potentially give rise to residential amenity issues, particularly noise, and therefore proposals will be required to satisfy the requirements of relevant policies in the ‘Our Environment’ and ‘Our Businesses and Centres’ chapters where impacts are expected to arise.

The following placemaking interventions will be prioritised to provide an enhanced public realm network for all ages. Development proposals will be expected to align with these interventions:

reducing the severance caused by the A6 by providing a clear and accessible active travel route between Stockport Exchange and St Peter's Square;