Have your say on new masterplan
RESIDENTS are urged to attend a public meeting to debate a new masterplan to transform the town centre.
Cheshire East Council is consulting on its five year vision called ‘ There’s no place like Macclesfield’.
Central to the strategy is the £20m multi-screen cinema by Ask Estates and the £15m Grosvenor Centre expansion by Eskmuir, but there is also focus on the town’s heritage, including the museums, Old Police Station and Butter Market.
The plan includes redeveloping the area around Macclesfield train station, a hotel, town centre wi-fi zone, and 120 homes on the former Macclesfield magistrates court and police station car park.
Now, Make It Macclesfield, a community interest company (CiC) which aims to raise the profile of the town, is hosting a meeting at the Town Hall tomorrow (Thursday November 2) at 7.30pm, where the public will be given their chance to scrutinise the masterplan. There will be updates from Ask Estates and Eskmuir about the leisure scheme and the Grosvenor Centre.
Professor Cathy Parker, chair of the Institute of Place Management at MMU, will chair the discussion. There will also be contribution from Peaks and Plains Housing Trust, Macclesfield for Business, Macclesfield Heritage, Culture and Arts Forum, Macclesfield Civic Society, The Digital and Creative Community, Macclesfield Town Council, Macclesfield College and MP David Rutley.
Mike Rance, acting chair of the MiM, said: “It should be an exciting meeting and we will learn more about the leisure scheme and Grosvenor Centre. The primary purpose will be to encourage everyone to make their own responses to the consultation based on the broader perspective of the opportunities and the challenges that should be generated by the evening’s open discussion.” Friday, November 3. The bonfire will start at 5.30pm and the fireworks display will take place from 7pm.
Tickets are priced at £10 for adults, £25 for families
Other elements in the strategy are £400,000 to improve the ‘public realm’ particularly the main shopping area, feature lighting in town centre trees and digital displays. The council also proposed spending up to £3m on a ‘town centre information and communication package’ such as new signs and maps.
The council held its own meeting on the plan at Macclesfield Town Hall last week, attended by around 80 people.
Have your say at cheshireeast. gov. uk/ consultations or visit Macclesfield Library. The consultation runs until November 15.