PLANS for massive redevelopment in the heart of Macclesfield town centre have been approved by councillors.

The Macclesfield Town Centre Redevelopment Strategy will act as a blueprint for developers, showing how the local authority wants the town to change in the twenty-first century.

On the councillors' wish list are a new town square, a cinema, a new magistrates' court, department and food stores, independent shops, affordable housing, restaurants and offices spread across four major sites - Exchange Street, west of Churchill Way, Samuel Street and Park Lane, and Duke Street.

The strategy was given the green light by members of the cabinet at their last meeting. Its aim is to encourage investment in the town while retaining its traditional market town character.

The planning brief sets out 20 objectives. It states that the schemes should develop strong links to Mill Street, Castle Street, the Grosvenor Centre and the Queen Victoria Street bus station, and that the layout of streets and buildings should provide a seamless change between old and new.

The brief suggests that the architecture on the sites should be "predominantly traditional, varied and interesting", with buildings no more than three storeys high, and that public art should be an integral part of the design process.

It also says that the development should respect the setting of the Listed Buildings in the area, particularly the Heritage Centre and the Salvation Army Hall on Roe Street, and the Silk Museum and Society Rooms on Park Green.

The Senior Citizens' Hall should be retained or the facilities replaced within any development, and a town open space should be created in the Exchange Street area. The 706 car parking spaces on the sites should also be replaced.

Peter Yates, chief planning officer at Macclesfield Borough Council, said: "This is all about getting the best development scheme for the town centre.

"It is a comprehensive and co-ordinated approach that looks at the whole centre and allows us to choose the best plans from a variety put forward by developers. There has already been a lot of interest, including from two cinema operators who are interested in locating here.

"A panel of members will now be set up and it will then appoint specialist advisers. The brief should be published by the end of August and we hope that by about this time next year we will have a clear idea about how the sites will be redeveloped."

"A panel of members will now be set up and it will then appoint specialist advisers. The brief will be published by the end of August and we hope that by about this time next year we will have a clear idea about how the sites will be redeveloped."

The cabinet members approved the brief and agreed to appoint redevelopment advisors; to establish a redevelopment panel; thank consultees for their comments; and make finding a site for a new magistrates' court a priority.

Macclesfield Silk Museums, the Macclesfield Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise and the Macclesfield Civic Society have already been consulted on the brief.

The organisations generally welcomed the plans, but both the Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise and the Civic Society warned that the re-development and growth of the centre should be gradual and should not be the work of one short-term overall developer.

The response from the Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise said: "It is important that we retain the Market Town feel and do not create a Manchester-type precinct proposal."

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