Advanced manufacturing ambition for Crewe

A NEW blueprint for Crewe aims to make the town the region’s centre for advanced manufacturing and engineering by 2030.

The 50-page strategy prepared by Cheshire East Council called “All Change for Crewe: High Growth City”, has five key priorities.

These include developing Crewe as a world-class hub for the automotive and rail industries; making the town a UK centre of excellence in employer-led skills; positioning Crewe as a market leader in renewable energy; spearheading a £500m infrastructure programme for the town, and preparing key land assets to support future economic growth.

The council is hoping to capitalise on the presence of Bentley Motors which announced a £1bn investment in a new 4×4 which should create 400 jobs at the factory and a further 1,000 in the supply chain.

There are also plans for a new University Technical College (UTC) – a vocational school for 14 to 19-year-olds – focusing on engineering and design skills. And Cheshire East is looking into the possibility extracting geothermal power from hot water deep under the town.

Cheshire East Council leader Michael Jones said: “Crewe really is on the cusp of a major renaissance. Our All Change for Crewe strategy is leading the transformation of the town, capitalising on its rail and engineering heritage, but also supporting growth in exciting new industries and technologies.

“The town’s unrivalled connectivity means Crewe has a unique opportunity to become a gateway between the economies of northern and southern England, with more than six million people living within an hour of the town.”