Stockport may never build enough affordable homes due to developers’ frequent claim it is not financially ‘viable’ to include them within their schemes, councillors fear. Concerns were raised as elected members ran the rule over revised proposals for 202 flats at the old Springmount Mill site, at Brinksway, in Edgeley.
Construction is already well under way, but developer Carpenter Investments Springmount Ltd now wants to add a further 27 apartments and change it from three to two blocks. While members of Central Stockport Area Committee welcomed the site being brought back into use, they expressed disappointment over the absence of any affordable housing within the development.
The borough continues to have a ‘significant need’ for affordable housing and a 2019 review found there was a shortfall of 549 affordable homes per year. However developers often claim the cost of redeveloping sites - particularly on brownfield land - means including affordable housing is not financially possible.
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