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Wednesday, 13th June 2007

Stockport reaching for the sky

IN just two years’ time this new residential block will tower over Stockport town centre.

The newly-named Platinum development has been given the go-ahead by planners and will be the tallest building in the town by far – for a while anyway.

Developers Urbanize Homes are understood to already be in talks with planners about a 25-storey tower underpinned by a four star hotel on another site close-by.
 
Platinum will stand on a site just behind the town hall and will have 155 apartments in total, in either a 12-storey block or 22-storey tower – ranging from small studios up to plush penthouses.
 
And in line with Stockport Council’s strict rules on developers’ including affordable housing, there will be a five-storey block with its own entrance that will be developed and sold on a shared ownership basis by a housing association.
 
It is undoubtedly a bold statement for the town and a brave investment of £20m by Urbanize, who have experience developing in Hale but have not done anything similar in Stockport.
 
The company’s MD, Sal Hassenpour, said the planning go-ahead marked ‘the beginning of the beginning’ for both Stockport and Urbanize.

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He added: “This is going to be a landmark building for the town and something that sets the benchmark for the future.
 
“We are not following on from Manchester, we are competing in the same market and at the same level.
 
“Stockport is having millions of pounds invested in the central core and will emerge as a strategic regional market.

“It is close to the airport and the train service to London takes just over two hours. Its time is about to come.”
 
Sales have already been made to investors with 71 units already sold off-plan.

Agents Hamptons International are now marketing the remainder with prices starting at just on £100,000 for a studio, £140,000 for a one-bed, £165,000 for a two-bed and a cool half-million for one of the penthouses.
 
Hassenpour said: “It is going at about £260 per sq ft, which compares very favourably with other apartment schemes in the town, especially given the level of specification at Platinum, which will have the best fittings and its own concierge.”
 
There will also be 8,000sq ft of commercial space on the ground floor to potentially house a leisure suite and coffee shop.

More information: Hamptons International, 01625 444700