Town Centre Regeneration - Neighbourhood Forum AGM

Phil Jones

Phil Jones, of Phil Jones Associates, will speak about town centre regeneration at the Neighbourhood Forum AGM this Saturday 30th September.  Phil will present the Urban Design Study he carried out for Marple Civic Society (funded largely by Marple Vision Partnership) to demonstrate how a holistic approach and sensitively designed streets can help to achieve a better town centre for Marple, making it more attractive and easier to move around, especially on foot.

The meeting will take place at the United Reformed Church, Hibbert Lane between         10am and 12-00 noon.

This is a public meeting, free of charge and everyone is welcome - we hope to see you there.

More information on town centre regeneration can be found in our September Newsletter HERE

attend the NP Forum AGM on Saturday 30th September to hear Phil Jones talk

about the Tra

ffi

c and Street Design Report and alternative solutions for Marple.

Venue is United Reformed Church on Hibbert Lane 10-12noonattend the NP Forum AGM on Saturday 30th September to hear Phil Jones talk

about the Tra

ffi

c and Street Design Report and alternative solutions for Marple.

Venue is United Reformed Church on Hibbert Lane 10-12noonattend the NP Forum AGM on Saturday 30th September to hear Phil Jones talk

about the Tra

ffi

c and Street Design Report and alternative solutions for Marple.

Venue is United Reformed Church on Hibbert Lane 10-12noon

Newsletter September 2017 - Edition 13

The society's September 2017 Newsletter is now available.

        The newsletter concentrates on 3 'Major Marple Matters':

1. Town Centre Regeneration - new traffic and street design for Marple Town Centre!
don't miss Phil Jones Associates present the community Urban Design Study - Phil will demonstrate how a holistic approach and sensitively designed streets can help to achieve a better town centre for Marple, making it more attractive and easier to move around, especially on foot. Come along to the Neighbourhood Forum AGM on 30th September - Further details in the newsletter below

2. Marple Wharf Development - it's arrived.... the planning application for Marple Wharf and the warehouse. It is now time, the last time,  for you to have your say. If you don't like what you see you have until 28th September to get your opinion heard. More information about the proposed development and how to respond in the newsletter and news item below

3. Planning and Transport Consultations - these two Council plans will decide how Marple grows and how transport is  dealt with until 2035-2040. Once in place, these plans will be very hard to change so it important to get them right now. The society's response will be available on the website to help you to respond if you wish or you can wade through the official documents if you feel inclined. Closing date for responses 8th October - Further details in the newsletter below

To view the full Newsletter see HERE 

(NB the link opens a preview page in OneDrive, click on the "Download" button to view a high resolution copy)

Marple Wharf - Planning application - How to respond

At last the planning application for developing Marple Wharf has arrived. The developer, H20 Urban, has submitted an application on behalf of the Canal & River Trust (CRT), the charity which took over from British Waterways to maintain, preserve and promote the nations canal network and its heritage.

We recognise that CRT need to raise funds but not by destroying the heritage it is charged with preserving. The final scheme fails in so many ways - quite simply, the development is just too much for the site resulting in problems of over development :   

- Inadequate parking - the parking arrangements are quite ridiculous 

  house no. 1 must park at house no 3, house no 2 at house no. 4 and so on.

- Waste disposal - shared wheelie bins for all the houses - 50 yards from house no.1

- inadequate facilities and access for New Horizons trip boat for people with disabilities -     the charity dear to Marple's heart

- inadequate services for pleasure boats - several boats queueing up to use the service         area must share a mooring with New Horizons trip boat for people with disabilities - a recipe   for frustration and friction

- a complete disregard for the unique heritage - of importance locally and nationally 

                    View the planning application HERE

Planning Application for Marple Wharf
* 7 houses - no. 7 is 4 bedrooms
*conversion of the warehouse, no.8, into a 4 bedroom house *shared mooring next to the warehouse for New Horizons & boats using the boating services
*rubbish skips, wheelie bins, New Horizons store & boating service block next to the warehouse
*loss of 3 parking spaces due to realignment of Church Street and the service road

A new look for Marple Wharf Warehouse??

Marple Civic Society set up a working-party group this year with the Local History Society, including 3 councillors, to continue working with CRT/H20urban and Stockport Council to find a community use for the warehouse. But negotiations were necessarily paused once H20 Urban announced that contracts were signed and an application for residential use due for submission. 

Our problem is that H20 Urban's valuation of the warehouse is based on a commercial residential-use for the building in its present state.  The value of the building will plummet if planning permission for residential use is refused.

We have a well worked up viable business plan for community use in the warehouse and have agreed to present this to CRT once the planning application has been decided.  The purchase price can only be settled once the planning application has been decided.

We know people feel passionately about this important heritage site because we received 100 emails and letters from the public when British Waterways (now CRT) announced their plans for development in 2009. No doubt the council and BW received many more.

If you feel passionately about our heritage at Marple Wharf now is the time, the last time, 

to do something about it

Respond to the planning application before 28th September 2017 

See HERE for further information and how to respond

Photo by Studio Maurice Shapero

Marple Wharf Housing Development - Planning Application Submitted

A planning application reference DC/067000 and listed building consent application DC/067001 have been submitted to Stockport MBC for the redevelopment of Canal and River Trust Yard, Church Street, Marple, SK6 6BN (Marple Wharf).  The application includes the conversion of the former warehouse to one residential house plus the erection of 7 new houses on the site.

The developer is H2O Urban LLP No2, a partnership that the Canal & River Trust (CRT) have chosen to develop the site. 

The full application can be viewed HERE.  The closing date for responses to the planning application is 28th September 2017.

The Civic Society will respond to the application which will be displayed on our website.

Committee Meeting Minutes 22nd August 2017

Committee Meeting Minutes for 22nd August 2017 can be viewed HERE

Stockport MBC Consultation on Local Plan (Issues Paper) and SEMMMS Refresh (Part 1)

Stockport MBC has begun a public consultation on the first stage of the next Local Plan for Stockport.  It has also begun a public consultation on Stockport Transport Issues ((SEMMMS refresh). Both consultations will run until 8th October 2017.

The new Local Plan and the SEMMMS Transport Refresh will cover a 20 year period and will manage development and transport issues during that time.  Once in place, policies will be very difficult to change, so it is vital that Marple residents have their say at this stage of the plans. A public consultation is planned by SMBC, see below for details.

Under Threat from Housing Developers
Commissioned by Canal and River Trust

The current Local Plan is incomplete and relies heavily on the National Planning Policy Framework which offers little local protection to Marple.

Marple Traffic Chaos

The SEMMMS consultation speaks warmly about the achievements of the SEMMMS strategy since 2001.  Considering the traffic congestion and poor public transport links, Marple residents may feel that they have missed out on these benefits.






The Society will be responding to both consultations but we encourage members and residents to respond individually.

We welcome the views of members and residents which we will take into account in the preparation of the society's response.  What are the issues important to you? How should Marple develop over the next 20 years? We look forward to hearing from you. Contact us by email by the 22nd September 2017 (mail@marplecivicsociety.org.uk)

The society's response will be available on the website soon. If they wish, members and residents may use our response to inform their own responses.

Further details of both the SEMMMS refresh (Part 1) and the Local Plan Issues paper can be found  HERE or viewed at Libraries throughout the borough during normal opening times.

A public consultation will be held on Monday 4th September 2017 

at Marple Hall School from 6-00pm to 8-30pm

This is a "drop-in" event, registration is not essential you can just "turn up"

If you wish to register for the event see HERE