Marple Today and Yesterday

Marple Centre is an attractive centre situated on the east of the borough overlooking the Goyt Valley. Marple, or Merpel as it was written when the name first appeared on the pages of history, is believed to be derived from either "maere hop hyll" meaning "the hill at the boundary valley" or "maere pill", "the stream at the boundary". Regardless of its meaning, both translations capture the natural beauty the village is set within.

The early villagers were mainly small agriculturists and small-scale manufacturers in woollens. However, it was the coming of Samuel Oldknow to Mellor in 1790, which instigated a process of industrialisation that transformed the district.

Oldknow established his Mill by the River Goyt, sank coal mines, built houses for his workers, and made roads. He was also instrumental in the construction of the Peak Forest and Macclesfield Canals that converge south east of Marple centre, and constitute an important but under utilised historical resource. Today, despite the ever-changing role of the centre, it is the remnants of Oldknow's ingenuity and enduring architectural legacy that characterises the centre.

The 1930's heralded the decline of the cotton industry. Rail and the introduction of regular buses between Marple and Stockport centre initiated growth and Marple became a much sought-after residential location.

Prior to the 1974 Local Government reorganisation, it was the administrative centre for Marple Urban District Council and, whilst key decisions are now made centrally, a number of decisions are still made locally and a number of civic and community buildings are still located in the centre.

Marple Centre is situated to the north of Marple rail station, one of two stations serving the area. Stockport Road running east to west through the Centre is the primary route from Stockport centre. The Centre comprises of over 200 retail and business units that are mostly concentrated at the centre's heart, around the Stockport Road/Market Street/Hollins Lane junction. The Centre boasts a broad range of shops, services and other small businesses, from High Street names to niche and specialised businesses, all catering for a variety of needs. Independent traders make up the bulk of comparison shopping, occupying some 63% of retail units

Marple is a varied and interesting Centre, largely due to the character and diversity of its buildings and its range of activities. Whilst a recent Survey confirmed that people mainly come to the Centre to shop, the centre also offers a range of other facilities including council services, a library, a swimming pool, an historic cinema and theatre and not least the Memorial Park. The diversity of buildings is a reflection of the mix of uses found within the centre. Its distance from Stockport Town Centre encouraged more localised facilities and buildings were purpose built, with many still being used for their original purpose.

By and large the buildings are well maintained and contribute well to the appearance of the street-scape. They give Marple a true "sense of place", full of character and charm. Add the canals, the marina and the panoramic views of the Derbyshire peaks surrounding the Centre, and one has a taste of the tremendous scope and potential which exists. It is hoped that the Marple Action Plan will capitalise on this unique opportunity.

There is a very active local community which is organised and seeks to effect change through the activities of associations, societies and groups. In the Council's drive to establish an action plan for the district centre, the Council seeks to facilitate the full involvement of these local groups through the formation of a local stakeholder partnership.

The Marple District Centre Action Plan aims to maximise the unique potential that exists. It represents a way of bringing together all interested parties to agree a set of measures that aim to improve the vitality and future viability of the centre.

In line with this objective, and in partnership with local stakeholders, a number of recent actions have already been implemented, these include :

Improvements to Market Street - consisting of new street lighting, repair and replacement of some seating, replacement of a limited area of paving and the provision of signing to link Market Street with the canal.

• Local Walking guides – two signboards - one on Market Street and one within the Memorial Park.

• A 24-hour CCTV surveillance system - as part of a borough-wide strategy to achieve a reduction in the level of crime.

• The Hollins Millennium Project – improvement to the central hub of the shopping core through the provision of a new seating area focused around three interesting and stimulating paving mosaics.