‘KIDSGROVE HAS THE WORLD AT ITS FINGERTIPS’
In the last of his features about Kidsgrove RICHARD AULT looks at what the future holds for the town...
‘THERE are a lot of reasons why Kidsgrove is a lovely place to live,” says the town’s MP, Ruth Smeeth.
Kidsgrove might be the second town in Newcastle borough, and many – including Ms Smeeth – feel it sometimes gets forgotten and doesn’t receive its fair share of investment.
But the town still has a lot going for it. One of its assets is undoubtedly the railway station. Since the closure of the Potteries Loop Line more than 50 years ago, few places in North Staffordshire have such direct access to a station.
Work has begun on a £5 million upgrade to Kidsgrove Railway Station, making it easier to access, particularly for elderly and disabled people, or parents with pushchairs.
The town is also linked to the main road networks across and out of Staffordshire. So it could be the future of the town is as an attractive commuter belt, particularly with a lot of new housing planned for the town.
In fact, 25 sites and around 1,000 new homes are proposed for the next 15 years. Councillor Simon Tagg, leader of Newcastle Borough Council, believes it is an opportunity for Kidsgrove to grow and develop.
He said: “The future is bright. A lot more people want to live in Kidsgrove. We are looking to grow the housing stock in Kidsgrove. We are making sure there are brownfield sites which should be put on the housing list, and that there are quality houses available, so people can commute to Crewe, or Stoke-on-trent.
“The growth potential is very good. It is our second town. It has a good town centre, a big community around it, at Butt Lane and Newchapel, and it has a vibrant and active town council.
“When HS2 is complete, Kidsgrove becomes a link to HS2. It is the next station to Crewe, so that will have a direct link to the line.
“That could make it very attractive to commuters.”
Cheryl Kulis, of Kidsgrove, a sales negotiator at estate agents Butters John Bee, said: “Kidsgrove is a good area. We are starting to get more commuters looking to move to Kidsgrove. I would think the town would become more popular with commuters and we have got some new developments in the area.
“We’ve got a very nice development
in the town centre of 16 houses and we’ve had quite a few people looking to build in the area.”
Margaret Astle, of Kidsgrove Residents’ Association, said: “We are central for commuting. We are near the A34, the A50 and the D-road. We are close to Stoke Railway Station, Crewe Railway Station and we have Kidsgrove Railway Station. We are also near three regional airports. We have the whole of Staffordshire and the world at our fingertips.” But Kidsgrove is far more than a railway station. It is overlooked by Mow Cop and its castle, and boasts some amazing views of the Staffordshire countryside and easy access to Cheshire and the Peak District. It has Bathpool Park – notorious as where murderer Donald Neilson, the Black Panther, hid his victim – Clough Hall Park and even its own ski slope. It also has the Victoria Hall, which serves as the town hall and a function venue for weddings, parties and concerts.
The town has a rich history, particularly surrounding the canals designed by James Brindley. The famous Harecastle Tunnel is supposedly haunted by a headless woman, the Kidsgrove Boggart.
Stoke-on-trent North MP Ms Smeeth said: “People look after each other. It also has a small, but perfectly formed town centre. Kidsgrove has everything going for it, as long as we invest in it.” Josephine Locke, chairwoman of Go Kidsgrove, said: “I have lived in Kidsgrove for 48 years, we brought our children up here. Kidsgrove is a friendly place. People might moan, but on the whole they are friendly. It has a real sense of community.”
Michelle Bailey, aged 31, has only lived in Kidsgrove for five years, but her husband was born and bred in the town. She said: “Kidsgrove has this unique community identity, not really identifying as ‘Stokies’, nor as part of Newcastle. This is because they are seen as the forgotten town.
“There needs to be investment and encouragement to bring in alternative businesses by Go Kidsgrove. It has huge potential – it just needs the right person to lead it in the right direction.” ATTRACTIONS: Kidsgrove’s Clough Hall Park, top, and the Victoria Hall.