Cheshire East Council has bought a former Royal Mail site in Crewe for £2.75m - the biggest purchase it has made so far.

Coun Frank Keegan claimed last year he was removed from the cabinet so the council could free up the millions to buy the land.

The 4.5-acre Weston Road site became vacant when Royal Mail relocated its sorting offices to Stoke and Warrington.

The site is part of an ambitious plan to redevelop Crewe Rail station, part of the wider Crewe ‘vision’ to revitalise the town.

This vision is called ‘All Change for Crewe’.

Cheshire East Council leader Wesley Fitzgerald said: "Last year we set our clear ambition for the future of Crewe, through All Change for Crewe. This is tangible evidence of our commitment.

"This acquisition is part of our wider vision to grow and develop a strong and sustainable Cheshire East economy, which will improve people’s life opportunities and enhance the environment in which they live."

The move is the latest in a series of major regeneration projects undertaken by the council across Cheshire East – including the recently-completed £52m Alderley Edge Bypass, the £3.5m Poynton village improvement scheme and ambitious plans for the regeneration of Macclesfield.

Coun Jamie Macrae, Cabinet member with responsibility for prosperity, said: "The need to acquire this site to deliver a new ‘rail gateway’ for Crewe, and a potential transport interchange for the wider region with increased parking provision, has been a key ambition for Crewe over many years. Cheshire East Council has now become the catalyst for that project.

"Our vision for a new rail gateway includes improved passenger facilities, a high-quality concourse, improved parking and traffic arrangements and a landmark building at this important location."

"This is the largest site acquisition that the Council has made to date but it is the type of acquisition that large local authorities such as ours make regularly to deliver strategic regeneration priorities.