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BBC News
2 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Mid Cheshire: 'This area has massive untapped potential'
Despite Mid Cheshire boasting a proud heritage, some of its residents think it has often been overlooked and overshadowed by the likes of Chester, Liverpool and its councils are going to promote Mid Cheshire in an attempt to encourage more business investment in the area and lure more region comprises the three salt towns of Middlewich, Northwich and Winsford - where the commodity has been extracted since prehistoric times - and the surrounding what's included in the plan, what could it mean for the area, and what do residents want to see? "A bold and ambitious 15-year vision," is how the new plan for Mid Cheshire was described by Cheshire West and Chester Council at a recent covers areas including business investment, skills and infrastructure, and will also include the creation of a business-led board named the Mid-Cheshire Partnership."It's about tying together the areas in Mid Cheshire that have a shared history and a shared heritage, as well as having strong economic ties," said the council's deputy leader Karen local authority is keen to emphasise that the plan will not be led by the it is designed to be a collaboration with businesses, community groups and councillors are not Lynn Gibbon said that while the plan offered a "compelling vision" for the area, she had concerns."Vision without delivery is just a story and right now the Mid Cheshire Plan has serious weaknesses in its foundations especially when it comes to growing our rural economy," she told the meeting where it was ultimately approved."I support the ambition but I challenge you to sharpen the evidence, cost the actions and get serious about rural delivery because we can't afford another strategy that sounds good but delivers little." Andrew Cooper is the first MP for Mid Cheshire for more than 100 previous Mid Cheshire seat was abolished in the 19th it was reinstated in 2024 as a result of a boundary review, all three of Mid Cheshire's major towns were in different parliamentary was part of the Congleton seat, Northwich was included in Weaver Vale, while Winsford fell within the Eddisbury while the Mid Cheshire plan was approved by Cheshire West and Chester Council, Middlewich is actually part of the neighbouring Cheshire East a result, the plan includes the two councils working closely together."Something that I've pushed for a lot - for a long time - is trying to eliminate this idea of 'borderland thinking'," said Labour MP Cooper."So we have an arbitrary line that goes between Cheshire West and Cheshire East, sort of skirting around the outside of Middlewich."But the economies of Northwich, Winsford and Middlewich? They're not separate entities, they're interdependent, they're integrated into one another."I've felt for a long time that the councils need to work more closely together and need more of a strategic vision about how you make the economy of Mid Cheshire work." But what do people in the area think? And what do the want to see?On Witton Street in the heart of Northwich, Paul Esling told me that while he believes the town has a lot to offer, it sometimes gets "overlooked".He would like to see the return of free parking and a reduction of business rates to encourage more independent and artisan shops."I think we get a bit lost," said Mr Esling, "because we're sandwiched by Chester, Liverpool, Manchester."You've got towns like Alderley Edge and Knutsford that are seen to be quite salubrious and I think we can [also] get overlooked in that respect."But he said annual events, such as the Pina Colada Festival and the River Festival, certainly helped."If they can do more of this here, the traders would have a better chance."But also it brings people in who wouldn't normally be here and then they come along and think 'this is alright, actually'." 'A bit run-down' Viv Powell lives in Winsford and regularly visits her daughter and grandchild in told me she wanted to see more investment in local high streets to encourage people to stay in the area."I think they should spend a bit of money, because there are a lot of people who live in this area that would do a lot more shopping here," said Ms Powell."But if you go to Chester there's no point in coming back into Northwich to buy a loaf."That's what they should be encouraging people, saying you don't have to go far to have a good time. Stay in your local area."Shelia Forrest lives in the village of Hartford, which is about two miles (3km) southwest of Northwich and only about six or seven miles from Winsford and would loved to see more cultural activities in the area, as she currently often heads to Knutsford or Chester."Maybe a bit more art-centred things here to see," she Forrest praised Northwich's cinema and theatre but said she'd like to see more exhibitions in the also said Mid Cheshire's town centres could use a little TLC."It's a little bit run-down," she explained. "The area's nice where they built the cinema but I think they could have probably done a bit more."I think they could improve the centre, clean it up. If you go out to Knutsford, it isn't like that, it's nice. If you go to Chester, it's nice."You don't want people going out of area so I think this would improve it." The Mid Cheshire plan was approved in May and is still at an early funding has yet been secured, although Cheshire West and Cheshire Council believes the plan's mere existence will help with bids for MP Andrew Cooper is very optimistic."I genuinely believe that Mid Cheshire has massive amounts of untapped potential," he said."I hope people from Middlewich, Northwich and Winsford will see that their concerns about how much attention, how much economic planning goes into the development of the places where they live, [have] been taken seriously, it's happening and people are on it." Read more stories from Cheshire on the BBC and follow BBC North West on X. For more local politics coverage, BBC Politics North West is on BBC One on Sunday at 10:00am and on BBC iPlayer.
BBC News
14-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Mid-Cheshire: New plan for towns with 'proud identities'
A plan to "raise the prominence" of part of Cheshire is aiming to bring in more business investment, improve transport links and encourage more visitors.A plan for Mid-Cheshire, which includes the three towns of Middlewich, Northwich and Winsford and the surrounding rural area, is set to be signed off by Cheshire West and Chester will also include the creation of a new board to oversee the plan, which will be named the Mid-Cheshire plans will be discussed at a council meeting on Wednesday. The area covered crosses two councils because Middlewich is in Cheshire East. The report to councillors said that the town had been included to reflect a "shared industrial heritage".It also said the area "does not have a rigid 'red-line' boundary but sits at the heart of the Cheshire countryside" in the eyes of the public. Around 110,000 people live in the plan features five areas, including business investment, skills, neighbourhoods and also says some services such as street cleaning, sports ground maintenance and creative and cultural activities could be transferred to town councils or community organisations in the longer term. More lobbying for funding for local transport improvements and rail infrastructure would be at the heart of the the proposals, the new Mid-Cheshire Partnership would have between 12 and 16 members, and would be expected to include representatives from the two councils, NHS, transport providers, the voluntary sectors and local businesses, and the area's West and Chester Council's cabinet has been recommended to approve the plans. Read more stories from Cheshire on the BBC and follow BBC North West on X. For more local politics coverage, BBC Politics North West is on BBC One on Sunday at 10:00am and on BBC iPlayer.
