Town consultancy doesn’t include Macclesfield

Cheshire East Council has appointed a multi-disciplinary team to prepare Town Centre Vitality Plans for nine of the borough’s towns – excluding Macclesfield.

Consultants Cushman & Wakefield, supported by urban designers Optimised Environments (OPEN) and transport planners Mott Macdonald, has been commissioned by the council to prepare bespoke Town Centre Vitality Plans for the what they call the key service centre (KSC) towns of Alsager, Congleton, Handforth, Knutsford, Middlewich, Nantwich, Poynton, Sandbach and Wilmslow.

The team will be working with the council over the next 18 months to prepare ‘Vitality Plans’.

The plans aim to provide a ‘sense of direction and identify bespoke initiatives and solutions to support the nine identified town centres, recognising that each centre is distinct, with their own opportunities and challenges’.

Work has already begun on gaining an understanding of of the town centres involved through site visits, market analysis, strategic document review and engagement with key local stakeholders.

Public consultations will take place in the new year on the emerging Draft Vitality Plans and the intervention projects identified to ‘support the vibrancy and viability of each town centre, ensuring that residents and businesses are best placed to support the future success and sustainability of their local town centres’.

Caroline Baker, head of Cushman & Wakefield’s Northern region and Manchester office, is leading the multi-disciplinary team.

She said: “Town centres across the UK are facing unprecedented challenges – significant structural changes have been further impacted by COVID-19.

“The Government has acknowledged the need for intervention through Future High Streets Fund, Town Deals, High Streets Task Force and changes to the planning system.

“However, not all towns have access to these funds and we are delighted to be working with Cheshire East Council to build upon the work already being undertaken by the town councils and their partners, to determine action plans to support the nine centres to respond to local opportunities and enhance their roles at the heart of their communities.”

Cllr Nick Mannion, Cheshire East Council cabinet member for environment and regeneration, said: “The council recognises the value of thriving town centres which meet the needs and aspirations of the communities they serve.

“Our local centres enable people to carry out day-to-day activities close to their homes reducing reliance on cars with associated environmental benefits.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted afresh the vital importance of our local centres. This work will help the council, and town councils, to better understand where opportunities lie for supporting their vitality and viability in recovery and beyond.”

Lord only knows how much this consultancy is going to cost Cheshire East council-tax payers, in particular Macclesfield’s – who appear to have been disregarded in this debate.

Or maybe you know something we don’t?