Cheshire East Council is asking the public to have their say on plans to revitalise the centres of nine towns across the borough, including for Wilmslow and Handforth.
Following on from the Crewe town centre regeneration delivery framework for growth and the Macclesfield town centre strategic regeneration framework, the council is now developing town centre plans for the Cheshire East towns of Alsager, Congleton, Handforth, Knutsford, Middlewich, Nantwich, Poynton, Sandbach and Wilmslow.
The council is working with each of the towns to help to establish an agreed set of priority actions for each town centre. Any actions would be taken forward as and when opportunities arise, and resources allow.
Known as 'town centre vitality plans' (TCVPs), each individual plan has the objective of providing a clear sense of direction for supporting town centre vitality and viability. It could include initiatives, which do not require significant funding, but which could be taken forward by local volunteers and/or businesses.
The Council feels that when opportunities to apply for funding for town centre improvements arise, such as from central government, it is beneficial to have clear town centre plans already in place to support bids for funding.
The town centre vitality plans include the following priority actions:
Handforth
1: Deliver Strong Cycling and Walking Connections, Including from the Garden Village into the Centre of Handforth (PRIORITY)
2: Enhance the Street Environment Along Wilmslow Road
3: Making more of the Paddock and Meriton Park
4: Raising Handforth's Profile
5: Mobilising the Business Community
6: Making more of Community Assets
7: Public Transport
Wilmslow
1: Strengthening green space and links (PRIORITY)
2: Creating more opportunities to dwell in the centre (PRIORITY)
3: Improving the town's core
4: Creating stronger gateways into the Centre
5: Expanding the events programme
6: Raising the Centre's profile
7: Mobilising the business community
8: Making more of community assets
9: Better management of Movement
10: Embracing cycling
Councillor Nick Mannion, chair of Cheshire East Council's economy and growth committee, said: "As a predominantly rural economy in Cheshire East, it is vital that we do everything within our gift to support our smaller towns, which many of our residents are more likely to call upon for their needs.
"Partly as a result of the pandemic, the way we shop has changed significantly. The introduction of these town centre vitality plans is an excellent way for our local communities to have a say. We know that no two towns are the same and this is an excellent way to properly appreciate those individual characteristics."
"I would welcome anyone to engage with this consultation process and use it as an opportunity to let us know their views."
Final plans will be developed through the consultation process.
The consultations run from today (27th September) to 8th November and can be accessed on the Cheshire East Council website at:
Comments
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Is this yet another trojan horse for CEC/Council committees to enact what they prefer and actually intended to do in the first place. When plans are (if ever) eventually announced they have the perfect excuse to reject any objections because "....it's what you told us you wanted".
The request for input from the community follows an earlier Plan that was initiated by the Council some 12 years ago. At the time they were steered to a London company who knew nothing of the area and wasted money on descriptions of the environs, etc. (like this Report) which did not impress. Nothing came of it despite the money spent. I hope this time the Council will respect its local companies who pay rates to them to formulate documentation and who are equally proficient to mount a plan from a pool of local input.
The most catastrophic disaster Wilmslow residents have had to contend with was to allow an office block to be built on the station forecourt. The Council even allowed office parking in the very place that buses, taxis and private cars need direct access. The concourse needs redeveloping and the office told to park to the rear of the building, not the front. The rear car park needs to be extended, either cantilevered over the falling ground to the North or where adjacent buildings can be demolished. There is also space where the sidings used to be on the eastern side of the rail track.
Why the priority to create more dwelling opportunities in the town centre. To complain about deliveries, late night noise in commercial areas, smells, building works etc.etc. Wrong wrong wrong!!!
The issues that should be resolved in order to improve Wilmslow are often already within grasp. For example, pavements and roads are dug up repeatedly but poorly repaired leaving conditions that are dangerous to cyclists. This process of casual neglect damages the asset value of the town and removes the primary requirement to encourage cycling in the first place. No additional investment required - just do your job properly! Similarly, look at years of repairs to Grove St. It is truly shocking. Drains blocked off with concrete. Uneven block paving repairs made good with tarmac or blobs of concrete. Large puddles and flooding that deter pedestrians. These are the images of Wilmslow and, likely they are the first impressions to many.
Planned purchasing! If you have restricted funds, use your available money wisely in a planned manner. For example, look at the recent new planting tubs in central Wilmslow. Scale and style all incongruent with the surroundings. Faux Victorian tiered planters next to monolithic 70's style tubs! Someone selects these items. It is as if the main Council trading platform is Ebay or a bankrupt stock site. And, of course, all anointed with a cheap Wilmslow Council logo - as if we were unaware of where we live or who the council represents!
And yes, all these issues are long standing pre Covid etc and all the other reasons given for poor decision making.
Before spending more, just look after what you have already.