Town centre transformation plans approved

Plans have been approved to put a new 21st century library at the heart of a new £14.5m, government-funded development in Stockport. The scheme in Merseyway aims to bring thousands of visitors back and transform the town centre which has been hit by the impact of Covid-19.The decision means that Stockport’s town centre library services will move from the current Central Library building on the A6 into Stockroom. This is a new £14.5m learning and discovery space funded by the Government’s Future High Streets Fund (FHSF).Stockport Council, who backed the plans, said they will improve the lives and educational prospects of tens of thousands of children and 11,000 adults across the borough who either cannot read or can barely read. It said evidence from around the UK shows that creating a new 21st century library, café and learning space in Merseyway will “breathe new life” into vacant retail units.