Stockport Council gets top marks for St Peter’s Square

Stockport Council has been highly commended for the redevelopment of St Peter’s Square in the Pedestrian Environment category of the Local Government News Street Design Awards.

Established in 1986, the Local Government News Street Design Awards aim to reward innovation and good practice in urban street design schemes undertaken by, or on behalf of, local authorities.

The £4 million public realm improvement scheme has transformed an under-utilised civic space and car park into an accessible and attractive open space, seeing the realisation of the first of the Town Centre Masterplan’s key projects.

Judges commented that “this year we had an unprecedented number of entries all to a very high standard, so placing in the competition really is an impressive achievement.”

The Square now boasts high quality landscaping, new paving, raised planted areas, bespoke seating, lighting and a central water feature, as well as the reorganisation and calming of traffic through the area and the relocation of the Cobden Statue.

Councillor Kevin Hogg, Executive Member for Regeneration, at Stockport Council, said: “St Peter’s Square has been designed to create a versatile and inviting space for business and leisure, day and night and will become a key town centre leisure destination, attracting new cafés, restaurants and outdoor events.“

The Square is now a prestigious and popular location in the town centre, complimented by the recently refurbished Plaza Super Cinema and the BAM Properties’ office building, part of which has been let to BSkyB.

Further opportunities are now being pursued for the Square, including the redevelopment of the adjacent Rock building which has planning permission for an 81 bedroom hotel.

The Square was also featured as part of this year’s Culturefeast festival introducing it as a key event location alongside the Underbanks, Market Place and Mersey Square.