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A consultation has been launched into £60m plans to transform a historic mill in Stockport town centre into a thriving mixed-use community.

Capital & Centric made the announcement on Tuesday about plans for the Weir Mill, which could be turned into 250 homes, cafes, bars, delis, shops and courtyards and green spaces.

The developer said it had recently bought the site - and is at an "early stage" of working up the plans, which could see homes inside the restored mill buildings and some new build, with a frontage onto the river.

Located alongside the town’s viaduct, Weir Mill started off life as a water powered cotton works in the late 18th century, with the original water wheelhouse and mill building still standing today.

Adam Higgins, co-founder of Capital & Centric, said: “Weir Mill is an enduring icon of Stockport’s industrial past, which even inspired local artist LS Lowry.

"But many of the buildings are now in a pretty bad state so we have to find a viable long term use for them or risk losing them forever.

"Our plan is to create a thriving new town centre community, where incredible places to live sit alongside green spaces and amenities looking out across the river.

“This isn’t just going to be a development for the people that live there, we’re creating a quiet space in the town centre where you can grab a coffee and sit by the water surrounded by some of Stockport’s best historic architecture. We want to know what you’d like to see there. This could be café-bars, delis or independent shops but we’re open to ideas. So, join the conversation and tell us what you think."