First trees planted in Stockport’s roof-top park as next milestone of borough’s £1 billion development reached

A roof-top park in Stockport has reached an important new milestone with the first trees now planted. The park is part of a £1 billion development of the borough. 

The park is being constructed on the site of the old Stockport bus station. It is a project being carried out by Transport for Greater Manchester and Stockport Council. 

The oval structure of the park was already in place, and now further landscaping work has been carried out. This includes the planting of the new park’s first trees, the next stage in creating the two-acre greenspace which will sit at the heart of Stockport town centre. 

The park has an in-built ‘blue-roof’ drainage system that will capture and store rainwater to allow controlled run-off into drainage outfall and watercourses, mitigating any flood risk and to further supplement the sustainable features within the development. These include an array of PV solar panels generating renewable energy both within the interchange and on the residential building roof.

Several key stakeholders and council leaders attended the tree planting ceremony. Attendees included Stockport Council Leader Cllr Mark Hunter, Transport Commissioner Vernon Everitt, Stockport Council Member for Climate Change and Environment Cllr Mark Roberts, Cabinet Member for Parks, Highways and Transport Services Cllr Grace Baynham, Transport for Greater Manchester’s (TfGM’s) Interim Chief Operating Officer, Alex Cropper and managing director of Willmott Dixon in the North, Anthony Dillon.

Cllr Mark Hunter, Leader of Stockport Council, said: “The Interchange is a key part of our borough’s £1 billion 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.”

Vernon Everitt, Transport Commissioner said:: “The progress towards delivering this new transport interchange and the wider regeneration of Stockport town centre is so impressive. 

“The new Interchange will make it much easier for people to get around as part of the integrated Bee Network, joining up all public transport, cycling, walking and wheeling facilities. 

“The inclusion of green space open to everyone has always been integral to this project and the new rooftop park is already an impressive sight. The entire project is fantastic feat of design, planning and engineering and all the hard work of Stockport Council, Transport for Greater Manchester and Willmott Dixon is really paying off.”