Stockport Local Plan & SEMMMS Refresh - Civic Society Response to Stockport MBC Consultations

Marple Civic Society's response to the Stockport MBC consultations on the draft Local Plan & SEMMMS refresh can be viewed HERE

The closing date for responses is 8th October 2017, so there is still time to                               send individual responses.  Please feel free to use the Civic Society response                         to inform your response if you wish.

Summary of Response
Taken together, the draft Local Plan Issues and Options and SEMMMS consultations:

1. Land-use planning and transport planning are fundamentally linked but the papers do not explain how these two issues can or will be progressed together. We think they should have been presented as one paper, not as separate consultations. This is essential if we want to plan successful, balanced communities in Stockport and to create inclusive places with a good quality of life.
   
   
2. The SEMMMS paper does not acknowledge that from 2001-17 the only substantive SEMMMS delivery has been road schemes (new roads, plus some limited bus priority improvements); there has been almost no delivery of alternative schemes. More important than a wish-list of schemes is the creation of a clear delivery mechanism for all modes of transport, particularly public transport and cycling, not just the new road element.
   
   
3. A much more thorough approach to the District Centres as shopping and service centres should be taken and their ‘health’ examined more carefully. Attention should be paid to the quality of public realm and the need to ensure traffic does not dominate communities.
   
   
4. The role of Neighbourhood Plans is ignored – these are a part of the statutory planning system and several plans are in active preparation.
   
   
5. There is not enough concern with housing quality, and no real discussion about density. Target numbers appear to dominate thinking. High density is fully compatible with high quality – there is ample evidence that ‘compact city’ development in northern Europe creates better housing and better environments than we do in Stockport.
   
   
6. Employment should be better linked with housing, and be less Stockport-centric
   
   
7. Green Belt development should be a last resort, and the focus for new housing should be on existing urban areas
   
   
8. Green Infrastructure should be an integral part of new developments 
   
   
   

Committee Meeting Minutes 26th September 2017

Committee Meeting minutes for 26th September 2017 can be viewed HERE

Marple Wharf Housing Development - Planning Application DC/067000 and Listed Building consent DC/067001

The society's planning team has sent a response to Stockport MBC Planning Department to recommend refusal of planning application DC/067000 and Listed Building consent DC/067001, for a housing development, including conversion of the Grade II listed warehouse into a luxury house, at Marple                                 Wharf (Canal and River Trust Yard), Church Street, Marple, SK6 6BN

Marple Wharf Warehouse
under threat of convertion to a 4 bedroommed house

To view the application documents see HERE 

To view the Society's response see HERE

Feel free to use the Society's response to help you write your own response. 

It will add weight if you say it in your own words but the important thing is to respond - be sure to state that your response is to both applications: planning application DC/067000 and Listed Building consent DC/067001 and copy your response to our local councillors if possible.

The planning application will come to Marple Area Committee to be judged by our local councillors. Responses will be received and considered by SMBC planning officer until a decision is made.

Public opinion really does matter with this application 

............please, please respond..........

Our best guess is that it will be the December Area Commitee meeting. As soon as the date is confirmed we will email members and put the date and details on the website

Check the website regularly so you don't miss the Marple Area Committee date 

A "38 Degrees" petition to Stockport Council to reject the application has been set up 

Sign the petition HERE

DC/067001

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