Have your say on shaping the regeneration of Crewe

 

Cheshire East Council wants YOUR views on an ambitious vision for the regeneration of Crewe.

Over the past year, consultants advising the Council have identified what they believe needs to be done to ‘unlock’ the huge potential of the town and surrounding area to become an economic powerhouse by 2031. This vision is called ‘All Change for Crewe’.

Now it’s time for YOU to play your part.

Cheshire East will hold public engagement events over four weeks and have an online questionnaire to seek your feedback and views on what the priorities for the regeneration of Crewe should be. We want you to tell us, for example:

● How important are improvements to the railway station for the revitalisation of Crewe?

● Do you think the current range of shops, leisure and other facilities in Crewe town centre can be improved?

● What is the biggest barrier to raising the aspirations of young people in Crewe?

● How can public transport provision in Crewe be improved?

● What is the best way of engaging business and residents in delivering regeneration through different projects and activities?

Cheshire East Council Leader Councillor Wesley Fitzgerald said: “These public engagement events are an emphatic step and show that we really do mean business in Crewe. Now it is time for everyone to get behind this ambitious programme of regeneration.

“We are in a tough economic climate but we are very well placed in Cheshire East to take advantage of our potential and come out of this downturn in better shape and more quickly than many other places. The Council and the people of Cheshire East have a critical role in shaping and enabling the redevelopment of Crewe and the wider region.”

Councillor Jamie Macrae, Cabinet member with responsibility for prosperity, said: “This is a tremendous opportunity for local people to have their say and really take ownership of ambitious moves to profoundly revitalise and regenerate their town and the surrounding area – building on the hard work and progress of the Council and its partners over the past year.

“Crewe has a rich heritage of tremendous industrial achievement. The task now is to unleash Crewe’s tremendous potential for future growth and prosperity – but we all need to get behind this project to help make it a reality.”

The Council is working with key stakeholders and partners to help turn the town and surrounding area into a leading player in Britain’s 21st century economy.

Consultants have identified how the Council and other partner agencies can unlock what they see as the unique potential of Crewe over the next 20 years.

The focus is on increasing economic productivity and performance, which is underpinned by five key strategic themes which are to:

● Radically improve strategic transport links and create a state-of-the-art broadband internet network;

● Develop a more diversified ‘knowledge economy’ that attracts and keeps hi-tech firms and skilled workers;

● Enhance the attractiveness of Crewe as a place to live and work – including boosting schools and local transport and expanding the town’s population;

● Develop key underutilised sites – including the Basford East investment site, Crewe rail station and the town centre;

● Improve the town’s public image and leadership.

A revamped Crewe train station and town centre will be at the heart of several major projects planned to revitalise Crewe and surrounding region.

Attracting more educated, skilled and ambitious workers to Crewe would boost the economy and be central to plans for the town to become a dynamic regional centre by 2031. The aim is to increase the town’s gross value added per worker by 85 per cent over 20 years, growing the economy by £850m per year by 2031.

Now Cheshire East Council wants YOU to come along and have your say on the future of the town during four weeks of public engagement events at:

● Crewe Swimming Pool (from 8am to 10am), on Tuesday, November 9;

● Crewe Fire Station (from 2pm to 4pm), on Thursday, November 11;

● Crewe Fire Station (from 6pm to 8pm), on Thursday, November 18;

● Crewe Railway Station (from 4pm to 7pm), on Monday, November 22;

● Crewe Swimming Pool (from 4pm to 6pm), on Wednesday, November 24;

● Crewe Library (from 2pm to 4pm), on Wednesday, December 1.

There will also be a further opportunity for business people to make their views known at a business breakfast meeting hosted by South Cheshire Chamber on November 23.

For further information, visit the council’s website at www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/allchangeforcrewe and complete our online questionnaire by the deadline of December 6.

Ends.