A new Mayoral Development Corporation for Stockport town centre will come into force on 23 February 2026. The Establishment Order (SI 2026/30) was made on 15 January and laid before Parliament on 19 January, confirming the body’s name as the Stockport Town Centre Mayoral Development Corporation. The Order is signed by Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Miatta Fahnbulleh at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Created using powers in the Localism Act 2011, as modified for Greater Manchester by a 2017 Order, the MDC gives Stockport a focused vehicle to drive regeneration in and around the town centre. Greater Manchester Combined Authority describes MDCs as statutory bodies set up by the mayor to speed up development and attract investment, forming part of the region’s devolved toolkit. (greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk)

The legal boundary is defined by the inside edge of a red line on an official map referenced in the Order. Printed copies are available for inspection by appointment at 2 Marsham Street in London and at GMCA’s offices in the Tootal Buildings on Oxford Street in Manchester. An online outline of the area is also available via GMCA’s Mayoral Development Corporations pages. (greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk)

This follows the formal designation of a Mayoral development area for Stockport town centre by the Mayor of Greater Manchester on 20 October 2025, after a public consultation from 15 May to 26 June 2025 and unanimous backing at GMCA on 26 September 2025. GMCA signalled at the time that the Corporation would be established in early 2026. (greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk)

Stockport Council and investment agency MIDAS have previously said the expanded remit will cover 410 acres across the whole town centre, raising the long‑term housing ambition to 8,000 homes over 15 years - a move billed as a UK first and one designed to “supercharge development” across the area. (investinmanchester.com)

Momentum is already building. In November 2025, Stockport was allocated £56.3m from the first wave of the £1bn GM Good Growth Fund, including support to accelerate the Stockport 8 neighbourhood and a 245‑home scheme on Fletcher Street. Phase one of Stockport 8 will deliver 435 homes, 82 for affordable rent. (stockport.gov.uk)

Detailed consent is in place for the first phase of Stockport 8, with works due to start in 2026 and complete in 2028; later phases are expected to follow from 2029. The scheme promises energy‑efficient homes, new public spaces beside the viaduct and safer walking and cycling routes through the town centre. (stockportmdc.co.uk)

GMCA says the new Corporation will act as a “single, focused body for local decision‑making”, coordinating with government agencies, landowners and developers to bring in public and private investment. For residents and businesses from the Underbanks to Merseyway, that should mean clearer delivery and one place to go on complex town‑centre projects. (greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk)

Stockport’s approach has helped shape Greater Manchester’s wider regeneration drive. The region is rolling out other MDCs - including Atom Valley Northern Gateway and Old Trafford Regeneration - alongside plans for further zones, underlining that Stockport’s town‑centre model is being scaled up across the city‑region. (greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk)

The Order notes no full impact assessment has been produced. With the legal switch‑on set for 23 February, expect GMCA and Stockport Council to confirm governance, early priorities and how residents can feed into the next phase. We’ll keep tabs on delivery against the promises now written into law.