Graham, Tom and Ian

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More good news on Cheadle parking

by Lib Dem team on 31 March, 2015

Mark, Graham and the Lib Dem team have been working to improve parking in Cheadle village. Over the last few years the village has got busier with more shops, cafes and restaurants and – as a result – more people wanting to park.

Last week we told you that we were freeing up ten spaces for short-stay parking.

Following a meeting with BMI (owners of the Alexandra Hospital) we now have another piece of positive news.

  • BMI currently have around 40 permits. These are not for the hospital, but for BMI’s UK finance division based in Eden Place. They manage the finances for all of BMI’s 60+ hospitals across the UK and it’s seven of these permits that we’ve moved from the general car parks to a permit-only car park to free up short-stay parking.
  • In the next two weeks, BMI will submit a planning application to convert the old coal yard off Manchester Road into more than 160 new parking spaces. All Eden Place staff will be moved in there, freeing up more than 30 additional spaces for short-stay parking in the Cheadle car parks. They hope to do this within a few months. Some staff from the Alexandra will also move into the new car park.
  • BMI are also keen to work with local traders – they are the largest private sector employer in Stockport with well over 1,000 people based in Cheadle. If traders were to, for example, come up with a discount card for BMI staff to get them to do more shopping in the village, BMI would undertake to market it to their staff both at Eden Place and in the Alex.
  • BMI also make the point that many of their staff already come into Cheadle to shop, eat and drink and are contributing to the revival of the village.

BMI are a big local employer. Although primarily a private hospital, 20% of their work is done for the NHS. They are keen to work with us to play a full role in making sure Cheadle continues to become more successful.

   13 Comments

13 Responses

  1. April Fishwick says:

    Sounds good, but a couple of issues. Access to the coal yard is off Manchester Road and would be extremely dangerous if the plans were looking to maintain this access for hospital staff. Access would be better from within the hospital site.

    Secondly, we had heard this this site was going to be considered as part of the new Cheadle village train/tram station in a few years? If not, then does this mean that the site that is occupied by Travis Perkins will be purchased for the train station instead? If any planning consent is given to convert the coal yard into a car park, then it would be an idea to look at giving this ‘temporary permission’ for a set number of years, then at some point in the future if the train station gets approval, this site could be divested into the train/tram station. Planning should also be restricted to car parking, and not in any way allow future development into further buildings.

    Thirdly, this site overlooks a number of residential properties due to its elevated position. Consideration should be given to how the site, if developed into a staff car park, could potentially be developed with local residents personal spaces/garden areas not being looked into from vehicles that are parked – perhaps adequate trees and shrubs can planted to combat this issue.

    Otherwise, it seems like a good idea and may benefit shoppers who often find parking within the village difficult.

    • Iain Roberts says:

      Hi April,

      I understand access will be off the existing Alex site, not Manchester Road.

      It’s a possible site for a tram station, and with that in mind car parking seems to me to be about the best use as it would be easy to convert at some time in the future. Having said that, the site is of course owned by BMI. We’ll see the details of the planning application soon and the issues you raise can be looked into.

  2. Karen Sandler says:

    BMI has been trying to get this planning permission for literally years. Why has it taken so long for them to get it? This is planning permission for a derelict site adjacent to the hospital and permission to be granted by the Council.

  3. Si Lunn says:

    i agree partly with the above, however much better use could be made from this land for the longest-term benefit of Cheadle. This land, that was once Cheadle train station, can be utilised as a train station once again, or at least a proportion of the land kept for a station. This would benefit the local area, residents of Cheadle who want to visit other areas by train as well as staff of the Alex who would also benefit from a local, public transport link other than unreliable bus services. It would also benefit visitors to the hospital, providing an alternative means of transport. Iain Roberts, you and your colleagues would be crazy to pass this planning application purely for car park use. The Alex have millions of pounds to help support a longer term, much wider opportunity, and as part of their CSR, would surely engage to help to make this happen.

  4. Lindy Garner says:

    Great news! Hope they can get planning permission for the new car park and a loyalty card sounds like a great idea!

  5. Alan Gent says:

    Why only a loyalty card for BMI staff? I shop in the village most days, don’t I deserve one as well?

    • Iain says:

      Alan – absolutely, the opportunity to have a loyalty card marketed to over 1,000 people working for BMI might make it stack up, but I’d certainly hope and expect that if there were such a card from the traders it would be promoted to everyone.

  6. jb says:

    Please expedite the re-instatement of Cheadle (LNW) railway station for the benefit of all asap!

  7. Ian says:

    If the people at the hospital or anyone else for that matter think the traders of Cheadle can afford to give a loyalty card or any other form of discount I would ask them to stop taking their medication as there is no chance, have you ever been in business as a sole trader.

  8. Margaret Cummins says:

    As to the other point regarding the Alex being used by the NHS, I would like to congratulate the powers that be for enabling this facility.
    I have to attend an eye clinic there and both myself and other paients find it a very efficient and fast servcie in pleasant and comfortable surroundings. Because it is so efficient, Im convinced the cost must make it cost worthy.
    It would help though if the cars on the corner opposite the old coal yard could be MADE to keep off the pavement.

  9. […] reported a few weeks ago that the Alexandra Hospital planned to convert the old coal yard into a car park, freeing up spaces […]

  10. jb says:

    Still looking forward to news of the re-opening of Cheadle (LNW) railway station!

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