A multi-million pound housing scheme looks set to breath new life into the town centre.

Peaks and Plains housing trust is planning to build around 200 apartments in Macclesfield town centre.

Planning permission has already been granted for 67 apartments worth £10m, at the site of the former Georgian, Frost and Waterside Mills which have stood derelict for years, on Park Green.

Targeted at graduates and young professionals, the trust hopes to attract the ‘best and brightest’ young-flyers from cities like Manchester.

And according to the trust advanced talks have also begun to purchase three more sites and build a further 130 homes, which will include a mix of social and affordable housing.

These are part of the trust’s five year plan, which includes £100m to build 750 homes across Cheshire East and High Peak. A further £30m is also earmarked for the upkeep of current properties.

Chief executive of Peaks and Plains, Tim Pinder, says the Park Green site will revitalise the town centre.

He said: “It can be a bit of a struggle to attract talented graduates to places like here because there aren’t the leisure facilities or the style of housing that they have in place such as Manchester for example.

“What we are trying to do is provide accommodation that young graduates are going to find attractive.

“More housing in the town centre means a bigger footfall for shops and cinemas etc because these are the people who use these places and it will bring a bit of life back to the town centre.”

The Park Green scheme is the first time the trust has looked to create homes for young professionals and they will not look to sell the properties to investors. Peaks and Plains say 20 apartments will be available through shared ownership and a further 30 through affordable homes to rent.

Mr Pinder said: “With the average home in Cheshire East at £265,000 people just don’t have the money available.

“We are really determined to play out part in helping Macclesfield become successful in the future and employers being able to attract really high qualified graduates and part of that means creating a place they want to live in.”

Mike Rance, of business interest company, Make it Macclesfield says this is an important step in town centre regeneration.

He said: “We are very supportive of this development.

“It is very much in line with out own aspirations to regenerate the town centre, to make it work as a place where people want to live and work.

“We believe it can be a catalyst for the regeneration of the Park Green Area, it is really positive.”

Prices have not yet been released for Park Green. Building work is set to start in the autumn.