Unless this is a case of mistaken identity, it is extremely likely that the Council is interested in acquiring 20 – 22 Market Place, Stockport. This would be part of the Market Place development and Improvement Plan, which has been on the agenda for some time.
In the beginning, the Council made it clear that a major element in the scheme was its ownership of empty and under utilised buildings in the area. It would be an efficient use of those buildings without the capital spending on purchase, inevitable upgrading and negotiation involved.
Lo and behold, the 20 – 22 property may be added to the stock of buildings in the area. But what is to happen to the existing stock which in most cases needs major improvement? This question must be answered before launching into an extensive project which would involve the usual expert consultancy, legal, planning and the rest, especially on an historic building.
No fobbing off please! Get on with the original plan which seemed to have sufficient capacity without 20 -22.
