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Town centre facelift ‘creates civic pride’

Chris Hudson
21/11/2007

THE £200million facelift of Macclesfield town centre is a "once in a lifetime" opportunity for Maxonians, providing 2,000 new jobs, 1,200 new car parking spaces, and 95 new mews houses, say the developers.

Architects, Wilson Bowden, met last week with residents and businesses of Roe Street, Water Street and Duke Street to unveil the new artists’ impressions of how Macclesfield will potentially look in 2012.

More than 60 people turned up to the town hall for a presentation of Wilson Bowden’s new state-of-the-art designs for Macclesfield and all were unanimous in their opinion that the town should be transformed.

Planning director, Patrick Arthurs, addressing the meeting, said: "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to strengthen the town for yourselves, for the young and for the elderly.

"Your town is really suffering and the town centre will continue to decline. You have got a situation where no-one wants to shop in your town centre. This is a fantastic opportunity for your kids and your grandkids."

He added: "We are trying to create a sense of civic pride which has been eroded quite severely over the years.

"We are trying to put in proper streets with proper frontages with improved retail clientele." The chosen developers outlined the timescale for how Macclesfield will be transformed:

n Pre-Christmas 2007 – Outline planning applications will be submitted to Macclesfield Borough Council.

n May 2008 – "Resolution" of the planning applications after meetings where affected parties can air their opinions.

n May-August 2008 – Land assembly/Compulsory purchase orders.

n August 2009 – Phase One, work on Park Green, Roe Street and Churchill Way starts.

n October 2011 – Phase Two, work on Exchange Street, the new Town Square and Castle Street begins.

The brand new artists impressions should be available for viewing in the next couple of weeks when Wilson Bowden hope to submit their planning applications.