Bid to get £80m Macclesfield regen scheme back on track

THE demolition of a chunk of Macclesfield town centre has been put back for six months as planners and business leaders ponder a way to get an £80m regeneration drive back on track.

Cheshire East Council has appointed commercial property expert and Macclesfield native Nick Hynes to help drive forward the revitalisation programme.

He will be working alongside the council’s principal planner Jo Wise who is stepping into the role as project director for the regeneration scheme from June 1.

The delay in the CPO for land off Churchill Way and Silk Street follows the decision by department store Debenhams to abandon its plans to be the anchor tenant for a new 200,000sq ft retail scheme by Wilson Bowden

Cineworld so far remains committed to the project, although no alternative anchor name appears to have come forward to inject the necessary investment.

“We are really keen to ensure that whatever comes out of the situation that we make we maintain Macclesfield’s fantastic assets,” said Wise.

“There is a very strong local entrepreneurial spirit and there is a passionate and inclusive community which we want to build. What happens next is a big decision and we don’t want to do anything which is knee jerk. There is a real feeling that people want to collaborate – whether it’s the local community, the council, public sector or voluntary sector.”

She added: “Cineworld is a very strong leisure offer and clearly the objective is to improve footfall by using the twilight economy and get people coming into Macclesfield.

“Admitedly, the town has its shop vacancies, but its about so much more than that. At the end of the day, the town centre should be at the heart of the community.”

Local businesses, however, are keen for progress to be made as rapidly as possible. Director of family-owned furniture retailer Arighi Bianchi, Nick Bianchi said there was a feeling in the town that nothing was happening.

“Speaking to owner-managers in the town, there is a feeling that we want to have a strong town centre again. But action needs to be taken quickly. Traditionally, Macclesfield was a place where independents thrived, but I walked through the town centre the other day and there were 48 vacant units.

“Anything which helped a resurgence of smaller independents would be fantastic.

“There are some great people and attractions in the town, like the Treacle Market and the (contemporary arts) Barnaby Festival, which we need to build on.”