Stockport Exchange, Stockport – Muse and Stockport Council with Ryder Architecture

The Grand Central Leisure complex and surface car parking have been reimagined as a welcoming entrance from Stockport train station into the town centre. Stockport Exchange comprises public space and greenery, new highways and pedestrian routes, two high quality offices, a Holiday Inn Express and multi-story car park. With the latest phase introducing a 64,000 sq ft Grade A workspace.

Who is on the project team? 

Ryder Architecture

Galliford Try

Hannan Associates

Buro Four

Curtins

Gillespies

Describe the context of this project and the point it has reached in its development. When is the project expected to complete? 

Stockport Exchange has transformed the outdated Grand Central Leisure complex and surface car parking into a bustling commercial hub, with excellent transport links and a thriving business community. Stockport Exchange now creates a true sense of arrival and place, welcoming people from Stockport train station into the town centre. 

Phases one, two and three are complete, delivering public space and greenery, new highways and pedestrian routes, two high quality offices, a Holiday Inn Express and multi-story car park. The next phase will see 3 Stockport Exchange, a 64,000 sq ft Grade A workplace complete this Autumn. This final phase will mark a key milestone in the project with over half of the office phases completed of the £145 million flagship scheme.

The destination offers incomparable connectivity to Manchester, the North-West, London and beyond, being next to Stockport train station and close to major motorways and Manchester Airport. Stockport Exchange is home to world-class businesses including BASF, musicMagpie and Stagecoach, with 1 Stockport Exchange fully let, and 2 Stockport Exchange just a part of a floor remaining.

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It’s not just about business in this bustling new area, with attractive landscaped spaces and a regular events programme taking place throughout the year, encouraging people to sit, relax and enjoy.

Now home to over 13,000 businesses, Stockport is undergoing a £1bn transformation with the council’s regeneration plans at the heart of this. Stockport Exchange is much more than a business hub, with independent restaurants, bars, markets, shops and museums within a five-minute radius.

How are you seeking to foster community, welcome visitors and attract tenants? How are you responding to changing demographics, behaviour, market context, policy, transport habits and the climate crisis since winning planning? 

Community is at the heart of Stockport Exchange. Our past and future activations are aimed at bringing the community together, encouraging collaboration and cohesion between visitors, occupiers and employees. 

The destination has hosted multiple art installations including one of Stockport Exchanges’ tenants; musicMagpie’s ‘Mount Recyclemore’. Mount Recylemore was a giant art installation of the G7 leaders heads made entirely out of electronic waste. We have also worked in partnership with Stockport College to deliver a mural, which was designed and installed by the students.

We continue to build our community by championing the people of Stockport Exchange on our social channels and website, giving them a platform to share their stories. 

We plan to attract potential occupiers and visitors as well as engage with the existing audience through future an inclusive programme of activations throughout 2023 and beyond, including food trucks, public art and cultural installations as well as regular charity events. 

Active travel is leading the way for a sustainable route into Stockport. The site expects to see a huge change in green transport and active travel with an expected percentage increase of 16% of cyclists, 25% in number of pedestrians and 5% increase in bus users.

The scheme has welcomed high quality employers to Stockport town centre. Over the last two phases we have seen all occupiers recruit locally and across the North West as they look to expand their teams. We estimate that this has resulted in over 100 new jobs in the local area.

What is your sustainability strategy and how are you mitigating carbon use and construction pollution? 

Sustainability is at the forefront of the Stockport Exchange masterplan. 

The latest phase, 3 Stockport Exchange, aims to achieve a Grade A EPC rating upon completion to put the building in the top 3% of all non-domestic EPC’s in England. Further to this, 3 Stockport Exchange is heading towards an Excellent BREEAM rating. 

The workspace features a state-of-the-art communal roof terrace with views to Manchester and the Peak District, cycle storage, shower facilities and a 399 space car park with EV charging points and a green wall façade.

The building has been designed to reduce energy demand and carbon emissions through the use of improved building insulation and airtightness, improved glass specification, alongside passive solar shading. Continuing this approach, the building design incorporates energy saving measurements with: ASHP’s transfer heat from outside to inside through heat absorption, providing top renewable energy technology; LED lighting will be used throughout the buildings using a fraction of the energy used by traditional light sources; Lighting controls will be in use to automatically switch off lights in areas which are unoccupied; An automated system will be able to optimise the operation of heating, ventilation and cooling plant and equipment in the building. 

Additionally, the green well on the MSCP will also help to increase biodiversity and reduce air pollution locally. 

(Sustainability handbook supporting document relates to the latest phase, 3 Stockport Exchange)

Describe the social impact of the project: How is this place contributing to the economic, environmental and social wellbeing of its citizens? 

The social value created by Stockport Exchange has had a tangible impact on the local economy and community. 

This project has resulted in 270 construction jobs within the area, with 80% of the roles from the project design team, procurement, delivery and project construction, being filled by locals. 

The site has completely transformed and enhanced the areas previous offering, including the creation of a 50m cycle path, 250 m2 of new public realm area, 300m2 of enhancements to the existing public realm area and 200m2 of road network improvements. 

Stockport Exchange has led engagement programmes in local schools, inspiring 100 pupils in years 10-12 across six disciplines. The children took part in workshops and activity across Design, Engineering, Construction, STEM, Non-STEM and SHEQ. 

Over £5,000 worth of materials and fund have been donated to local charities with the project team committing to over 50 hours of charitable work so far.

The secure cycle storage, shower facilities and cycle paths make active travel to work more accessible, and encourage tenants, visitors and employees to live a more active lifestyle. The site also has direct links to Manchester’s innovation district, Oxford Road Corridor, providing 42,000 residents and 8,800 businesses direct access to Stockport Exchange.