The £60m restoration of the 1790 mill under the viaduct is complete: 253 rented homes, six independents, and a free WEIR:LIVE party on Saturday 3 October.

Weir Mill is finished. The £60m restoration of the Grade II listed cotton mill beside the River Mersey and under the viaduct is complete, Stockport Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC) announced on Wednesday.

The mill dates back to 1790. It now holds 253 homes for rent, public space under the viaduct and a row of independent businesses. Developer Capital&Centric delivered it with Stockport Council and the MDC, with support from Homes England, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Historic England (Stockport MDC).

The first public chance to see the finished scheme is tomorrow. The free WEIR:LIVE party runs from 11.30am to 10pm on Saturday 3 October, with no tickets needed.

What has been built

The MDC’s announcement sets out the finished scheme:

  • 253 homes for rent, one, two and three bedrooms, across the restored mill and a new-build block
  • 88 of those homes inside the heritage building itself
  • 20,000 sq ft of commercial space for independent businesses
  • public areas with planting and seating beneath the viaduct, and better access to the riverside
  • residents’ facilities: a gym, co-working space, a mini cinema, a lounge, a private dining room and a rooftop garden

The restoration keeps the mill’s brickwork, vaulted ceilings and cast-iron features, the MDC says.

Who is trading there

Business What it is Status
Rita Ray’s sports bar, described as the North’s first female-led sports bar open
Bodega wine bar with a cellar model the MDC calls a UK first open
Kontrol mat and reformer Pilates studio open
Prologue bookshop bar and events space listed; opening date not stated
Hustle coffee shop, a Stockport business that started in a van listed; opening date not stated
Social Osteria seasonal Italian restaurant opening later this autumn
The Jane Eyre seasonal small plates restaurant opening later this autumn

Rita Ray’s, Bodega and Kontrol were the first three to open, in August, as we reported at the time. The MDC gives no opening dates for Social Osteria or The Jane Eyre. Guests at a completion event last Thursday, 24 September, were given a preview of both.

What was said

Tim Heatley, co-founder of Capital&Centric, said there was “a real mix of pride and relief in finally completing Weir Mill”. He added: “There have certainly been moments when we wondered why we’d taken it on.”

Cllr Micheala Meikle, the council’s Cabinet Member for Economy, Regeneration and Skills, said: “This building means a great deal to people locally, which is why we significantly invested to see it restored, opened up and given a new purpose.”

Lord Gavin Barwell, who chairs Stockport MDC, said the regeneration of the west of the town centre “has laid strong foundations for the east”. That is where the council and the MDC plan a new school and a health hub.

Where it fits

Weir Mill sits in the west of the town centre, the area the MDC has worked on since 2019. The MDC describes the wider programme as the UK’s largest town centre regeneration. It says it is accelerating plans for 8,000 town centre homes by 2040, with one million sq ft of employment space.

Other town centre schemes, and the borough-wide Local Plan now out for comment, are tracked on our Stockport planning news page.

What it means for you

  • See it for free tomorrow. WEIR:LIVE runs 11.30am to 10pm on Saturday 3 October on Chestergate. There is nothing to book. Details are in our WEIR:LIVE story.
  • The public space is open. The planting and seating under the viaduct and the riverside access are part of the finished scheme, not just for residents.
  • Two restaurants are still to come. Social Osteria and The Jane Eyre are due to open later this autumn. We will add the dates when they are published.
  • Looking to rent? All 253 homes are for rent, in one, two and three-bedroom sizes. The MDC’s announcement does not give rents.

Sources