Town centre regeneration scheme opens to public

Richard Price
BBC News, West Midlands
BBC A paved open space, with trees and lighting columns. The space is bordered by tall buildings. There are benches and planting located around the paved area.BBC
The council hopes the new public space will attract more people to visit the town centre

Work to transform part of a town centre in Cheshire has been finished and opened to the public.

The site of the former library and civic centre car park in Crewe was cleared to provide a new space that features seats, trees and flower-beds.

Cheshire East Council said it created a more attractive route for people walking between Crewe Lifestyle Centre, Memorial Square and Crewe Market Hall.

The scheme also includes a new two-storey entrance to the town's court buildings and a 31-space short-stay car park.

The project was funded by the government as well as the council.

The scheme will eventually provide the setting for one of two new facilities in Cheshire that will co-host the county's archives – construction of which started earlier this year.

As a result, an area of the site running alongside Prince Albert Street remains cordoned off.

A paved open space, with trees and lighting columns as well as a wall which has planting in front of it and benches to one side. The space is bordered by tall buildings. There are further benches and planting located around the paved area.
The scheme is part of a wider regeneration project in Crewe

That facility – due to open in summer 2026 – is being built with the aim of giving more access to the county's archives and to engage future generations.

The project is being led by both Cheshire East Council and Cheshire West and Chester Council, with a further archive centre based in Hoole, near Chester.

"It's now a really welcoming and enhanced space for people to spend time or walk through," said councillor Michael Gorman.

"It's all part of our vision to provide more reasons for people to visit the town centre and to want to stay for longer."

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