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Town Centre Review for Middlewich

March 2015

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Contents

1: About the author…………………………………………………………………………………………………….3

2: Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………………………………4

3: About neighbourhood planning………………………………………………………………………………6

4: A brief history of Middlewich………………………………………………………………………………….8

5: Middlewich town centre – first impressions……………………………………………………………9

6: Views from local people…………………………………………………………………………………………15

7: The local policy context………………………………………………………………………………………….17

8: Towards a vision for the future……………………………………………………………………………….22

9: Conclusions…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….28

Appendix A: Retail profile, 2014………………………………………………………………………………….29

Appendix B: Outcome of Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and

threats at January 2015 workshop……………………………………………………………………34

Appendix C: Emerging Cheshire East Local Plan – strategic sites and locations…………….36

Appendix D: Wider community planning objectives………………………………………………….…38

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1: About the author

Alison Eardley has a long standing background in economic development. Following the completion

of her degree, she took up a position within the London Borough of Newham as their first Tourism

Officer, successfully launching a visitor strategy for the area which was to position it firmly on the

East London tourism map. A move to West Sussex County Council as the Tourism Manager for the

area also brought a widened remit of Economic Development Manager. Alison enjoyed her time

within the local authority setting but an opportunity to join the Local Government Strategy Unit

within the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (later to become the Department for Communities

and Local Government) was not to be missed. Working with the team of senior civil servants, Alison

called upon her experience within the local government sector to input into both the Empowerment

and Local Government White Papers. She prepared presentations and speeches for the Ministerial

Team and led on the engagement strategy for the Directorate on local government matters.

The births of her two children led Alison to reconsider her working life and having originally

envisaged taking some time to spend at home with her new family, a role within the charitable

organisation, Action for Market Towns, caught her eye. She was taken on as Policy Manager for the

charity, which specialised in seeking opportunities to support the needs of market towns. The charity

itself had existed since the mid-1990s and was originally set up under the then Countryside Agency

to oversee the roll-out of the Market Town Healthcheck programme, an extension of parish planning

but for settlements with larger populations. Alison’s role at the charity took a number of strands:

lobbying government and other national agencies on policy issues, translating government policy to

the local members, running workshops and events on issues such as the future of the town centre

and more recently neighbourhood planning. She was a member of a series of government

roundtables and All Party Parliamentary Groups representing the sector.

Alison stayed with the charity for just short of seven years but decided leave in order to set up her

own consultancy. She now specialises in community led planning, neighbourhood planning, tourism

and business strategy development and advising individual clients on a range of town-wide and

town-centre related issues.

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Introduction In 2014, Middlewich Town Council resolved to start the process of preparing a neighbourhood plan, a document that will reflect how the local community wishes their local area to develop over the period to 2030, in line with the timescales for the emerging Local Plan Strategy for Cheshire East. A critical part of the Middlewich Neighbourhood Plan will be to ensure that the existing town centre – and original historic core - remains vibrant and prosperous to serve a growing community. Like many towns, Middlewich has a retail centre that has not been immune to the recent recessions, threats from competitors (both nearby shopping locations and large superstores) and the trend towards online shopping, all of which have impacted negatively on the prosperity and viability of local traders. Of course the town centre provides more than purely a retail heart for Middlewich. It also acts as a hub for community activities and events, a meeting place for local people, a destination for visitors and a place to do business. In order to maintain Middlewich’s appeal as an attractive and friendly place to live and work, any policies promoted through the neighbourhood plan should contribute positively to the sustainability of the existing town centre. The town centre has been the focus of much work in recent years, including being the subject of a consultation and strategy to feed into the development of the Cheshire East Local Plan and more locally through the work of the Town Council and the Middlewich Vision. As part of their preparation for the Neighbourhood Plan, the Town Council asked the Author to provide her own independent impressions of Middlewich Town Centre, evaluating its current state and identifying opportunities for the future that may be seized primarily as part of the neighbourhood planning process but also in the wider community planning sense. A visit was organised in the early part of 2015 to include:

A meeting with Middlewich Town Council and Middlewich Vision to understand their motivations behind the review and aspirations for a Neighbourhood Plan;

A familiarisation tour of the town centre and its immediate surrounds;

A meeting with Fiona Bruce MP to understand the political background and aspirations for Middlewich;

The opportunity to meet a series of business owners within the town centre to gain insight into their views about opportunities and challenges facing the town;

The facilitation of a workshop with local business owners and town councillors to explore the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats facing Middlewich and potential options for the future;

A meeting with other stakeholders including the planning team from Cheshire East, a representative from the Canal and River Trust and a local marketing expert; and

A visit to the monthly Makers Market and meeting with the organiser. This document seeks to provide a reflection of the visit with views on potential routes forward

bearing in mind the current policy context. It seeks to provide a basis for discussion among local

people and assist the emerging Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group to develop a vision and

objectives for Middlewich, the delivery of which will contribute to the sustainability of the town

centre. These objectives will in turn form the basis of public consultation to determine options for

future development for the town as a whole to enable the development of the Pre-Submission

Neighbourhood Plan. It is this plan that will be then taken to statutory consultation, and ultimately

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public referendum. In its final form, the Middlewich Neighbourhood Plan will set out the planning

policies to manage the direction of future growth, change and development in the neighbourhood

area.

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About neighbourhood planning A Neighbourhood Plan is a new type of planning document that was introduced by the Localism Act which came into force in April 2012. Neighbourhood Plans are intended to give local people a greater say in the future of their communities in terms of spatial development and land-use planning. Paragraphs 183 to 185 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) talks about Neighbourhood Planning stating: "Neighbourhood planning gives communities direct power to develop a shared vision for their neighbourhood and deliver the sustainable development they need. Parishes and neighbourhood forums can use neighbourhood planning to:

set planning policies through neighbourhood plans to determine decisions on planning applications; and

grant planning permission through Neighbourhood Development Orders and Community Right to Build Orders for specific development which complies with the order.”

The process provides a powerful set of tools for local people to ensure that their preferences for the development of their community can be met. The ambitions for the neighbourhood should be aligned with the strategic needs and priorities of the wider local area, in this case as set out in the emerging Cheshire East Local Plan. They should not promote less development than set out in the Local Plan or undermine its strategic policies. Outside these strategic priorities neighbourhood plans will be able to shape and direct sustainable development in their area. A neighbourhood plan will ultimately form a section of the Local Plan suite of documents and must

therefore be rigorously tested at both independent Examination and local referendum. The

Examination will test that the neighbourhood plan meets some 'basic conditions':

it must have regard to national planning policy;

it must be in general conformity with the strategic objectives of the local development plan, in this case the Local Plan for Colchester Borough Council;

it must be aligned to the principles of sustainable development, balancing the positive and negative impacts on the economy, environment and local community; and

it must meet EU obligations, for example on environmental and human rights legislation. The referendum will check for local support and requires a simple majority in favour of the plan. Once a neighbourhood plan has been brought into force, the policies it contains take precedence over existing non-strategic policies in the Local Plan for that neighbourhood, where they are in conflict. Neighbourhood plans are intended to be locally led. Hence in addition to the basic conditions, the

body bringing forward the neighbourhood plan must provide evidence to show that the all members

of the community have had the opportunity to get involved in the process and put forward their

views. A Consultation Statement will need to be prepared that sets out what has been undertaken

to show this.

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This process comprises a number of stages:

Designate the neighbourhood area – outlining the area that the plan will cover

Engage the community - giving the community the opportunity to input their views about what they would like to see reflected in the plan

Build the evidence base –collecting evidence and data that will need to be taken into

account when preparing the plan. This can involve the selection of sites and criteria for

site selection and also a consultation on potential options for the plan’s contents

Pre-submission draft – bringing together the evidence - statistical and public

engagement - to develop a draft of the Neighbourhood Plan policies that will be taken to

formal consultation

Independent examination – ensuring that the plan meets the basic conditions

Local referendum - taking the plan to the local community to be formally ratified by

means of a simple referendum

Once the plan has been formally adopted by the council and brought into legal effect, decision-makers will be legally obliged to take what it says into account when considering planning applications and other proposals for development in the neighbourhood area.

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A brief history of Middlewich Middlewich is an attractive market town within Cheshire with a population of around 15,500 (2011 census). It sits at the point where the Rivers Dane, Croco and Wheelock converge as well as the point at which the Middlewich branch of the Shropshire Union canal meets the Trent and Mersey Canals. The parish church, St Michael and All Angels, dates back to the 12th century and continues to provide a focal point on the high street. The town has a deep rooted industrial heritage that dates back to pre-Roman times. Attracted by the rich salt deposits in the area, the Romans established a permanent fort to the north of the current town and an associated settlement and industrial areas. At this time, Middlewich was known as ‘Salinae’ (the salt workings) and was an important trading route sitting at the convergence of seven Roman roads including what is now King Street, linking Middlewich to nearby Northwich. The importance of salt manufacture to Middlewich has been maintained throughout the town’s history. The making of salt is referenced in the Domesday Book at which point there were approximately 100 ‘wich houses’ located around the town’s two brine pits. In Medieval times a market rose up around the salt industries and other trades linked to this, which saw the beginnings of the market town centre we recognise today. Middlewich developed into an important post on the stagecoach network receiving eight coaches a day. The White Bear, dating back to the 1600s, on Wheelock Street was one of the main coaching inns and still greets visitors today. The canal system has been integral to the town’s prosperity, providing a means of transporting salt out to other towns and also to bring in coal to support the salt manufacturing process. Indeed by the early 20th century, there were nine industrial scale salt manufacturers in the town with numerous open pan salt works close to the canal. Today, salt is still produced in the town by British Salt, and has 57% of the UK market for salt used in cooking. Whilst commercial use of the canals has declined over the years there has been a modern upsurge of interest in inland waterways for pleasure use. Several boat firms in the town now serve the needs of owners and hirers of pleasure craft. Middlewich has a traditional high street focussed on Wheelock Street, through Hightown, and on to Lewin Street with a number of independent shops, a public house and various eating places. There are also four supermarkets, Tesco, Lidl, a Tesco Express, and Morrisons. Cheshire as a whole is popular with visitors and tourism is a growing industry in the area. Middlewich has sought to take advantage of this promoting its attractive countryside setting as well as the rich heritage of the town itself. In recent years, Middlewich has developed a comprehensive programme of events and festivals to take advantage of the tourist trade including those arriving via the canal. The town remains a popular and attractive place to live and in August 2014 was listed in Royal Mail’s top five most desirable postcodes in England.

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Middlewich Town Centre – first impressions

Middlewich has a population of 15,500 people living in 5,671 dwellings (2011 census). It falls within

the unitary authority of Cheshire East although it is bounded to the north, east and west by Cheshire

West unitary authority.

The Author visited the town in late January of 2015 in order to enable to put together some first

impressions about Middlewich that, when taken in the context of the local policy landscape, would

enable the development of a series of reflections and recommendations that will provide a useful

basis for the neighbourhood plan work.

I travelled to Crewe by train and then onto Middlewich by car. The town is located on the railway

line but the passenger station was closed in the 1960s as part of the “Beeching cuts”. Today the line

is used for freight transportation only although it emerged through later discussions that the

potential to reopen a terminal for passengers is not out of the question if funding were available to

enable this.

The town centre itself is located to the north of the town and covers quite an elongated area

comprising the length of Wheelock Street, the Hightown (around the Bullring) and to a lesser extent

Lewin Street. There are some smaller branch roads including Leadsmithy Street and Lady Anne

Court.

The historic core of the town, centred on the church, is a designated conservation area as is the

Trent and Mersey Canal. The town centre conservation area appears on the ‘Heritage at Risk’

register that is maintained by English Heritage and is stated as being in ‘poor’ condition. This is

perhaps evidenced by the often poor maintenance of some of the buildings, shop fronts and

streetscape, and the mix of new style buildings in otherwise older-style architecture areas. A design

guide for the conservation area does exist but those I spoke to did not appear to be very familiar

with it and hence it does not appear to be often referred to. Across the town there are two Grade II*

and 38 Grade II listed buildings, some of which are located in the town centre.

The town is unique in that it is positioned at the confluences of both a number of rivers and separately of two major canals (just south of the town centre). Interestingly, as a pedestrian within

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the town centre, it is very easy to be completely unaware of the existence of the canals that are literally just beyond the town centre boundary. To the north, access to the canal requires navigating the A54, a dual carriageway road that snakes around Middlewich creating an ‘island’ sensation for those on foot. To the east, the canal is more accessible but still pedestrians must cross the A533, another busy road that does not benefit from a pedestrian crossing. Added to the challenge of reaching the waterfront is the lack of signage and the fact that the church blocks both the way and the natural viewpoint across.

The town is divided into a number of ‘zones’ described in further detail below:

The retail zone

The main area of retail runs east-west along the entire length of Wheelock Street. The road is accessible to vehicles which can travel fairly fast and often park along the road, sometimes across the pavements, thus potentially creating difficulties for pedestrians, especially those with mobility issues or pushchairs. The offer is mainly small independent retailers, some restaurants, coffee shops and takeaways, charity shops and public houses although the offer dwindles towards the west where a cluster of vacant units are located. Some of the retailers have been in Middlewich for many years often passing the business down the family line. Some units tend to have a fairly high turnover while others remain vacant for longer periods. It emerged through discussions that many of the landlords of the properties are not local to the town, something true of many towns across the country and which can lead to the challenge of gaining landlords’ commitment to ensuring that the town centre thrives.

Retailers are very much dependent on footfall to the town centre to maintain their trade with few having a major online presence. This is particularly the case for the ‘convenience’ shops which are more likely, by their very nature, to pick up business from passing trade as opposed to ‘comparison’ stores which tend to attract those making a special visit.

A full list of the retail units is included in Appendix A based on the Market Town Benchmarking Survey undertaken in 2014. This survey revealed that there are 101 units across the town centre with roughly 45 of them independents, 15 of which were vacant at the time, working out at a 14.9% vacancy rate. This is slightly higher than the national average vacancy rate of 13.3% (Local Data Company). The Cheshire Retail Study Update (2011) provides the following additional information: of the 10,496 square metres of retail floor space in the town, 26.6% of the floor space is used for convenience retailing (food), whilst 27.9% of floor space is used for comparison retailing (clothes, electrical, furniture etc). The town centre performs a more localised convenience shopping role but competing centres at Winsford and Northwich attract expenditure away from the town.

At the western end of Wheelock Street, the town is bounded again by main roads which, if crossed carefully, lead to two of the town’s supermarkets: Morrisons and Lidl, the former having been developed on the site of an independent garden centre that had been family run for some generations. Generally speaking it is more preferable to locate supermarkets at the edge of the town footprint as opposed to completely outside because it brings much-needed footfall into the area as a whole. The challenge for Middlewich is giving visitors to these supermarkets a reason to extend their visit into the town core and making their journey across on foot as easy, safe and appealing as possible. If feasible, pedestrianisation, or shared space, can be a good option here.

In terms of supermarket provision, two further supermarkets are located within reach of the town

centre – a Tesco Express at the eastern end in Hightown and a slightly out of centre Tesco superstore

off Queen Street. This latter store secured planning permission in 2009 for an expansion on the

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existing site (and into the adjoining car park which is part owned by Cheshire East) but Tesco has

decided not to go ahead with this. There is some concern locally about the future of this key site in

the town. Tesco actually rent the land from another company and there is a fear that the store might

pull out completely given recent announcements nationwide about its wide-ranging store closures.

Beyond the supermarkets, there are no national chains within the town centre. Whilst there is a

Costa Coffee located out of town alongside a Premier Inn on the A54, it is only accessible by car and

numerous people felt that it does leak custom away from the town centre. It is felt that there is

scope for the introduction of regional or national convenience-sized stores in the centre itself. The

town is fortunate in that it currently benefits from Barclays bank and a post office. The town’s

branch of Natwest closed in 2013. Many small towns have, in recent years, faced the challenges

associated with cuts to banking services which include: reducing appeal for inward investment for

smaller retailers, reducing opportunities for older people and those without cars who are forced to

access these services elsewhere.

The main high street does not house many office facilities and there was comment that space that is

available is either insufficient in terms of size or does not have modern facilities.

The eastern end of Wheelock Street leads to what is known as Hightown although the path for pedestrians is slightly cut off by the access road from the A54. This is an important part of the high street as it is home to The Bull Ring – an amphitheatre installed to provide local community space – and also the bus terminus and taxi rank. The site is dominated to the east by the church which, on raised land, provides a focal point.

This particular site in the town was mentioned frequently during the visit by a number of stakeholders, raising some challenges that need to be explored:

The area is cut off from Wheelock Street by the access road;

Beyond special events and festivals The Bull Ring is felt to be underused perhaps due to its location slightly away from the retail core;

The Bull Ring seating backs onto the church which means that the view from the seats is across to the bus terminus and beyond to the A54. This large expanse of road system somewhat spoils the effect and can lead to acoustic problems;

Cars are often illegally parked in the bus terminus;

It is very easy for cars to miss the access road from the A54 that leads traffic either into Wheelock Street or through Hightown and round to Lewin Street, possibly due to poor signage; and

Some buildings in this area are in a state of very poor maintenance which does not make for an appealing ‘gateway’ to the town centre.

Hightown leads to two roads: Queen’s Street where the local park is located, an important area of green space in town centre, and also around to the Tesco Superstore and adjoining Cheshire East run Southway car park offering free parking; and Lewin Street.

The civic zone

Lewin Street is home to a small handful of shops as well as the Post Office but is primarily the location for the town’s civic amenities including the library, the Salinae centre, the Town Hall, the community fire station and then beyond to the local medical centre, secondary school and leisure centre. The Town Hall building provides a public reception with access to local services and information as well as visitor information although it is slightly off the beaten track for visitors. This

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stretch of road is fairly run-down with narrow pavements and a lack of crossings to the eastern side of the A533, which is where the canal is situated.

There is a previously developed but largely derelict site along this road running parallel with the canal which has been flagged by Cheshire East as a Strategic Location within its emerging Local Plan Strategy. It has previously been sought as a gateway to the town from the canal with associated facilities, but the funding was never secured. Many local people are keen to secure this future for the site.

Events, festivals and special projects

Middlewich is somewhat of a trailblazer when compared to other similar market towns in the range

of innovative activities it hosts. The Town Council and Middlewich Vision have put a great deal of

effort into delivering a range of projects to support local traders, increase footfall to the town and

provide leisure and cultural opportunities for local residents and visitors. The Folk and Boat Festival,

for example, is now one of the most successful events in the English Folk Calendar.

The town operates a market within the town centre every Tuesday and also hosts the successful

Makers Market (craft and foods market) on one Saturday each month. I visited the Makers Market

and, despite it being a January wintry day, there was a good turnout of both stalls and potential

buyers. Indeed, Middlewich Vision undertook a footfall count at the specialist market revealing that

over 1000 people per hour were in the town centre during the morning. A non-market day revealed

a ‘normal’ footfall count of approximately 350 people.

There seemed to be an issue relating to the road closure for the market on the day of visiting and

this is perhaps something that could be explored through the neighbourhood plan.

A loyalty card was launched in 2011 with 20 retailers signing up and providing a range of offers and discounts to encourage local residents to shop locally. The scheme was not apparent during my visit and some shopkeepers suggested that it had ceased. There may be scope to explore an alternative mechanism for delivering a loyalty scheme in the town.

Employment sites Beyond the town centre footprint itself are a number of business parks/industrial estates. These are important to note as they attract a large number of workers to the town who currently, for various reasons including distance and lack of natural links, do not tend to utilise the services of the town. The canal largely divides the residential and retail areas from the commercial zones which are as follows: Midpoint 18: A large distribution and business park, Midpoint 18 currently provides 128,130 square metres of mixed employment use. It is one of the largest developments of its kind in the North West and is home to major companies such as Wincanton and Kuehne + Nagel. Brooks Lane Industrial Estate: This is a 6 hectare site to the south east of the town centre and separated by the canal. It contains a mixture of older and modern purpose built units providing a range of employment uses, many in need of modernisation.

King Street Trading Estate: Located slightly further from the centre on the northern edge of the town, this site provides employment premises for a range of employment uses, with premises suitable for start-up businesses as well those that are established and require large premises with large amounts of operational land.

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Access and links

Middlewich is well-connected to the road network. The A54 runs parallel to Wheelock Street and

connects Middlewich to Winsford in the west and Holmes Chapel in the east, as well as being the

main link from junction 18 of the M6. An Eastern Bypass has been partially constructed but yet to be

completed. The Cheshire East Local Plan aims to enable completion of the work to link to the A533

Booth Lane to the south of the town in order to open up further land for employment development

and associated investment into the area.

There is no railway station in the town although a railway line does pass through Middlewich . Again

the Cheshire East Local Plan is seeking to safeguard an area of land to explore the potential of

developing a passenger terminal in the future.

The taxi rank and bus interchange is located next to the Bull Ring Amphitheatre. Buses run regularly

to Sandbach, Northwich, Crewe, Holmes Chapel, Congleton and Winsford. There is currently no bus

service into the large business park, Midpoint 18. Middlewich also benefits from cycle connections

to Winsford, Northwich and Sandbach and the canal's towpath and nearby 'Salt Line' are also routes

of the National Cycle Network. Routes 5 and 71 run through the town itself.

The town is sited at the confluence of the Dane, Croco and Wheelock Rivers. In addition the Trent

and Mersey Canal runs through the town joining the Middlewich branch of the Shropshire Union

Canal at the southern end of Lewin Street via the Wardle Canal. Because of the ease of access to a

number of historic canal routes, the town is home to a couple of boat hire companies. Many visitors

either start their canal holiday at Middlewich or find themselves passing through the town as part of

their holiday.

There are three council operated car parks in the town centre:

Name Capacity Fees

Civic Way car park 84 spaces Free

Seabank car park 23 spaces Free

Southway car park (adjoining current Tesco site)

26 spaces Free

There is also on-street parking and disabled parking available at various locations including Hightown

and along Wheelock Street.

Nearby towns

The nearest towns are as follows:

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Location of Middlewich in relation to nearby urban areas

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Views from local people Over the past few years, there have been numerous opportunities for those living and working in

Middlewich to input their views on what their aspirations are for the town: what is good about the

town and what is not so good. This has included:

2011: As part of the local planning process, Cheshire East undertook a Place Shaping Consultation

which culminated in the development of a Town Strategy for Middlewich forming a document

that is included within the evidence base for the emerging Local Plan. Based on the feedback the

following aspiration for the town centre was proposed:

“A new, vibrant and attractive town centre will be created through development

opportunities and improved public realm, and creating a quality environment to encourage a

larger and better range of shops, with a mix of independent and national retailers. In

addition, the retail core will be supported by investment in existing and new restaurants,

pubs and takeaway food facilities, encouraging more lunchtime spend and a new evening

and night-time economy for the town.”

2013: Middlewich Vision undertook an extensive engagement exercise with local people to

inform the update of their vision and action plan. Over 300 responses were received. Based on

the feedback its aspiration for the town centre is as follows:

“The consultation highlighted the need to support town centre businesses and to fund

initiatives that bring people into the town centre. Middlewich has much to offer with many

niche businesses. If we can focus on recent improvements such as the Artisan Market (now

Makers Market) and develop the evening economy, we will make the town centre a more

vibrant place for retailers, offices and traders.”

2015: An initial focus group with a number of local business owners and town councillors was

held to explore the issues and opportunities facing the town centre to input into the

neighbourhood plan work.

The feedback from the focus group has enabled an analysis of the Strengths, Weaknesses,

Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) facing Middlewhich to be constructed. The details of this SWOT

Analysis are presented in Appendix B whilst its interpretation and implications are summarised

below.

Key Findings of the SWOT Analysis

Strengths and Opportunities for Middlewich

Middlewich is a compact, historical town with a traditional town centre that offers attractions for

local residents in the form of shopping and employment. It is also a tourist centre, with its proximity

to the M6 motorway providing rapid access from a range of neighbouring communities, and from

further afield including the Greater Manchester and West Lancashire conurbations. Being a small

town enables Middlewich people to extend a friendly welcome to visitors to its heritage townscape,

and waterborne activities centred on the town’s canals. Visitor attractions include an active

calendar of events and specialised shopping facilities such as the Makers Market.

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These strengths form the basis of a number of opportunities. As a pleasant place to live and work

Middlewich can seek to attract employment opportunities both from its hinterland and from further

afield as government and private sector organisations seek to disperse employment from the larger

cities (including London). This opportunity is strengthened by the presence of a number of desirable

residential areas within a few miles of the town that can attract business executives, which may in

turn lead to an increase in employment levels as work-forces follow their managers. The take up of

sites in the business park and in the trading and industrial estates should in turn promote housing

development and hence an increase in the public economy through growth in council tax and

business rates incomes. This can then provide the Town Council with funds that can be used to

enhance the infrastructure, facilities and services offered by Middlewich. In short, Middlewich has

the opportunity to preside over a benign spiral of development that will underpin its future.

Weaknesses and Threats

There are, however, several weaknesses identified that can hold back Middlewich’s development

and threaten its future potential. Public transport connections between the town and its business,

commercial and trading centres are weak, and may deter people from focusing on Middlewich as a

place to shop and attend leisure activities. There may be an increasing need to connect Middlewich

to the West Coast Mail Line, and later to provide good connections with HS2 so that business and

trade can be expanded. As the economy grows, so the leisure industry may need to be expanded so

that the town can retain and develop an active culture. Promotion of the night time economy may

emerge as a key issue in order to help the town overcome problems such as having a young

population segment that has little to do in its leisure time. If the town expands, then its traffic

management and roads may need to be improved, not least to help to enhance the safety of road

users. Car parking may become an issue - the present provision of parking spaces in council car

parks supplemented by on-street parking may soon become inadequate, whilst the on-street parking

areas may generate traffic flow problems.

Perhaps the main threat to Middlewich arises from its neighbour communities which each will be

seeking, as the UK economy improves, to make themselves more attractive to employers and

incoming residents. Failure to mobilise public opinion in Middlewich to support transport

developments may also lead to the initiative being passed to neighbouring communities. In turn this

could threaten the retail mix in Middlewich if footfall is not increased, thus making the town less

attractive to shops and related businesses.

In short, the Author perceives that for Middlewich to thrive on the back of the range of planning and

development policies and visions that are reviewed in the next section, the town and its residents

must be seen to be innovative and supportive of improvement plans and developments.

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The local policy context

Middlewich lies within the unitary authority of Cheshire East. There are a number of adopted and emerging policies that will have an impact on the future of the Middlewich and which therefore need to be given regard when considering the future of the town centre and its role within the emerging Middlewich Neighbourhood Plan. Equally, there are numerous strategic principles and objectives at both the national and local level that will need to be supported. This section explores these in more detail. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)

Published in March 2012, the NPPF sets out the planning policies for England and how these are expected to be applied in order to achieve sustainable development. With regards town centres, The National Planning Policy Framework states that 'planning policies should be positive, promote competitive town centre environments and set out policies for the management and growth of centres over the plan period'. Local planning authorities should:

recognise town centres as the heart of their communities and pursue policies to support their viability and vitality;

define a network and hierarchy of centres that is resilient to anticipated future economic changes;

promote competitive town centres that provide customer choice and a diverse retail offer and which reflect the individuality of town centres; and

set policies for the consideration of proposals for main town centre uses which cannot be accommodated in or adjacent to town centres.

The emerging Cheshire East Local Plan Strategy Work on the new Cheshire East Local Plan began in 2010 and comprises a series of documents including the Local Plan Strategy (LSP) which sets out the vision, objectives and strategic planning policies for the entire borough until 2030. The LPS, at the time of print, is undergoing an independent examination to determine whether it is sound and legally compliant. The emerging Middlewich Neighbourhood Plan will need to be prepared in general conformity with the four strategic objectives of the LPS:

1. Promoting economic prosperity by creating conditions for business growth 2. Creating sustainable communities, where all members are able to contribute and where all

the infrastructure required to support the community is provided 3. Protecting and enhancing environmental quality 4. Reducing the need to travel, managing car use and promoting more sustainable modes of

transport and improving the road network

The strategy for Cheshire East is one of growth: 27,000 new homes are planned up to 2030 as well as a minimum of 300 hectares of land for business, general industrial and storage and distribution uses. Of this Middlewich is likely to need to find room for between 460 - 1,600 new homes over the lifecycle of the plan.

Middlewich is designated as a Key Service Centre within the emerging LPS referring to its role in

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serving a wider locality than its own community and having a good range of facilities including shops, schools and cultural and leisure facilities. The LPS vision for Key Service Centres is: “The Key Service Centres will see growth, with high quality homes and business premises provided to meet local needs, where smaller independent traders and tourism initiatives will continue to thrive and where all development will contribute to creating a strong sense of place”. The LPS contains a specific policy about town centre development:

Policy EG5 – Promoting a Town Centre First Approach to Retail and Commerce

In the Key Service Centres, there will be a focus on the improvement of the convenience and

comparison retail offer, with the potential to strengthen and enhance the retail offer, where

suitable, as well as diversification to other uses such as offices, services, leisure, cultural and

residential, as appropriate.

Town centres will be promoted as the primary location for main town centre uses including

retail, leisure, cultural and office development.

The use of upper floors in town and other centres for non-retail uses will be supported,

where appropriate.

The retention and enhancement of the Borough's markets will be encouraged.

Small parades of shops will be protected where they are important to the day-to-day needs

of local communities.

Proposals that help develop the evening and night-time economy in the Principal Towns and

Key Service Centres will be supported, where any negative impacts on amenity are

addressed.

Proposals for main town centre uses should be located within the designated town centres

or on other sites allocated for that particular type of development. Where there are no

suitable sites available, edge-of-centre locations must be considered prior to out-of centre

locations. Edge-of-centre and out-of-centre proposals will be considered where: i. there is

no significant adverse impact on the vitality and viability of the surrounding town centres;

and ii. it is demonstrated that the tests outlined in current Government guidance can be

satisfied.

Importantly, The Council is keen to preserve and enhance the vitality and viability of its existing town centres. Therefore, it is important to make sure that proposals for town centre uses located outside of these town centres do not have a significant adverse impact on them. Such impacts could include an increase in the number of vacant units and a reduction in turnover. More information on town centre impacts can be found in Government guidance, but the Council will apply the sequential test set out in paragraph 26 of the NPPF when determining retail applications with a floorspace in excess of 2500 square metres. The other policies contained in the emerging LPS of most relevance to Middlewich town centre are as follows, where most relevant parts have been extracted:

19

Policy PG2 – Key service centres In the Key Service Centres, development that are of a scale, location and nature that recognises and reinforces the distinctiveness of each individual town will be supported to maintain their vitality and viability. Policy PG6 - Spatial Distribution of Development Middlewich is expected to accommodate in the order of 75 hectares of employment land (average of 3.75 hectares per year) and 1,600 new homes (average of 80 per year). New development in the Key Service Centres will help to sustain services and facilities in these settlements and assist in improving the vitality and viability of their retail centres against a backdrop of an ageing population and increased competition from out-of-town and online retailing.

Policy SD1 and SD2 – Sustainable development This policy includes the provision that new residential development should provide access to

a range of forms of public transport, open space and key services and amenities, where access is

defined by set distances.

Policy EG1 – Economic Prosperity

Proposals for employment development will be supported in Key Service Centres. Proposals for

employment development on non-allocated employment sites will be supported where they are in

the right location and support the strategy, role and function of the town, as identified in Settlement

Hierarchy, Spatial Distribution of Development and in any future plans, including Neighbourhood

Plans.

Policy EG3 – Existing and allocated employment sites

Existing employment sites will be protected for employment use unless the site is no longer suitable

or viable for employment use. Where it can be demonstrated that there is a case for alternative

development on existing employment sites, these will be expected to meet sustainable development

objectives and all opportunities must be explored to incorporate an element of employment

development as part of a mixed use scheme.

Policy EG4 – Tourism

The Local Plan Strategy will protect and enhance the unique features of Cheshire East that attract

visitors to the area including existing sites and new ones. Proposals for new tourist development of

an appropriate scale, including attractions and tourist accommodation, will be supported within the

Key Service Centres.

Policy SC1 – Leisure and recreation

Require facilities serving Key Service Centres to be located in or adjacent to their town centre or

highly accessible locations. Focusing major facilities in town centres not only ensures good standards

of accessibility but also helps to ensure vibrant and viable town centres. Major out-of-town centre

leisure facilities are not encouraged, however, it is accepted that some facilities serve a very local

need or will only be viable in locations outside centres. Consequently, the policy seeks to ensure that

their impact is not harmful to the surrounding area.

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Policy CO1 – Sustainable travel and transport

Delivering a safe, sustainable, high quality, integrated transport system that encourages a modal

shift away from car travel to public transport, cycling and walking:

Supporting the priority of pedestrians at the top of the road user hierarchy and making sure

that in settlements, town centres and residential areas, the public realm environment

reflects this priority;

Providing secure cycle parking facilities at new developments, at public transport hubs, town

centres and at community facilities; and

Supporting the aspiration for re-opening the Sandbach to Northwich railway line to

passengers including the opening of a station at Middlewich

Policy C02 - Enabling Business Growth through Transport Infrastructure

Locating new development in locations where there is a good range of housing, jobs, shops and

services

Supporting schemes outlined within the current Infrastructure Delivery Plan / Local Transport Plan –

including the Middlewich Eastern Bypass

Supporting improvements to communication technology for business, education, shopping and

leisure purposes

The Council intends to introduce the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) approach to

Developer Contributions. The Levy will partly replace Section 106 provisions and is a charge

based on the floor area of new developments. The charge rates will be set out in a Charging

Schedule which will be implemented after the adoption of the Local Plan Strategy.

Local Plan Strategy Sites and Strategic Locations

A Local Plan Strategy Site is an area where the intended uses and location of development is

precisely defined and allocated on the Policies Map and is deliverable in the short to medium term.

A Strategic Location is a broadly-defined area of land with the capacity to deliver proposals of

strategic importance, where definitive site boundaries and intended uses will be included and

allocated in the medium to long term in the Site Allocations and Development Policies document.

Neither are set in stone, and some are still subject to gaining the relevant planning permissions,

however should Middlewich wish to input into these areas, this would need to be done via the

neighbourhood plan.

The LPS has highlighted the following three areas for development: Glebe Farm, Brooks Lane and

Midpoint 18 extension. Further detail on the proposals for these sites can be found in Appendix C.

In addition to these sites, a number of planning permissions have been granted but have not yet

been taken forward:

Town Wharf Project - Permission was granted in 2011 for this project that would result in the

redevelopment of two derelict warehouses along the Trent and Mersey Canal, and provide a

valuable link from the canal-side to the town centre. The approved scheme includes a canal-

side cafe, visitor centre, meeting room, heritage display and boating facilities and will be the

new home of the Town Council.

21

Following the loss of funding from the North West Development Agency, there is a need to

secure alternative funding.

Tesco superstore expansion - Planning permission was granted in 2009 for an expansion on the

existing site but Tesco has decided not to go ahead with this. Tesco currently rent the site and it is

unclear about the future of the store and hence the use of this land.

Cheshire Fresh - There is also an application relating to an area of land adjoining the Midpoint 18 site

but which falls within the Cheshire West authority area. This site is flagged as having potential for a

rural business hub to create a focal point and centre of excellence for Cheshire's rural economy and

the food & drink industry. This would include offering a range of business, education, research,

leisure and retail opportunities to support the rural economy.

22

Towards a vision for the future The strengths and opportunities identified at the workshop in January 2015 reveal the following

keywords for Middlewich:

It is possible to derive some Core Principles from the feedback and observations that should be

central to the both emerging Middlewich Neighbourhood Plan and the existing town strategy.

Suggestion are as follows:

The town centre is intrinsic to the neighbourhood plan - it has, throughout the history of the

town, provided the heart and community focus for Middlewich and any future development

should seek to preserve and enhance this role

Middlewich is a market town – growth of the town is not unwelcome but should be

undertaken in such a way as to strengthen the function of the town in terms of continuing to

provide a service and retail centre for both its residents and the wider rural hinterland

The history and industrial heritage of Middlewich is to be celebrated – Middlewich has a

unique heritage that spans over 1000 years and this needs to be not only conserved and

protected but brought to the fore

A sense of community is key - new residents to the town should feel connected to

Middlewich and feel a sense of identity and membership of a community that is routed in

the town’s origins. Communities should not be cut off from the historic core of Middlewich

Business and employment is part of Middlewich’s identity not separate to it – business areas

too should not be cut off from the core of the town as independent strips

Visitors are welcome in Middlewich – the sense of community exemplified through

Middlewich’s variety of festivals and events, the historic town core, the industrial heritage

and natural setting of Middlewich should be optimised to attract visitors

Bringing the landscape into the town – access to green and open spaces should be

strengthened

23

These can be used to begin to formulate a draft vision for the town as a whole to refer to in the

neighbourhood plan work and to use as the basis for initial community engagement. The centrality

of the town centre should stand out within the vision which itself needs to be as specific as possible

to Middlewich. There should be no doubt as to where it refers. A suggestion is as follows:

In 2030 Middlewich will remain as appealing a place to live in as it is today with a great sense of

community spirit. The town will have grown with new areas physically connected to the existing core

of the town and new residents having a shared sense of identity that makes them proud to be part of

the Middlewich community.

The market town roots of Middlewich will continue to strengthen providing both residents and those

living beyond the boundaries of the town with all the services and facilities that are required for day-

to-day living. The importance of retaining and enhancing the town centre – in terms of access,

appearance and offer – will have ensured that it is the thriving heart of the community. It will provide

a shared space and venue for a variety of activities, both daytime and into the evening, that

contributes to the overall identity of Middlewich The town centre shops and businesses are thriving in

both daytime and evening and the appearance of the High Street reflects that.

Visitors travelling along the canal will choose to moor at Middlewich in order to take a stroll to the

town centre to replenish their provisions in the local shops and take the opportunity to discover the

rich heritage and special festivals and events that the town has to offer.

There will be greater opportunities for local people to work in the town negating the need for long

commutes elsewhere.

The network of routes – walking and cycling – within the town will enable greater access to parts of

the town, again bolstering the connectivity of Middlewich and ensuring that no areas of the town are

cut-off from the centre.

The countryside setting that Middlewich sits within will be further evident throughout the town itself

enabling local people and visitors to enjoy the open air and green space.

Objectives that stem from the vision can be then determined. These might build upon those

identified through previous strategies and will provide the basis from which to engage with

the community on issues of importance.

For the town centre these might include the following:

24

Suggested objective Example policy

To improve access to and interpretation of the town centre: - Improve gateways to the town - Improve the town centre for pedestrians and cyclists - Manage traffic flow to and around the town centre - Traffic and car parking management in the town - Provide a railway station for the town

Sites could be flagged in the neighbourhood plan for improvement or redevelopment and setting out preferred uses Establish a view and preference for shared space scheme Make provision for a pedestrian crossing between the canal and the church at the A533 with appropriate signalling around the church to direct people to the centre Support proposals that will promote walking, cycling and the use of public transport including making proper provision for those with mobility impairment Promote, protect and maintain the local footpath and cycle path network including the canal towpath which is part of the national cycling network Identify and allocate sites for transfer of the bus terminus Explore potential sites for new/relocated parking areas including for cars, coach drop off and cycle parking facilities. Develop a parking strategy for the town centre. The neighbourhood plan could be used to safeguard land that might be required should the railway project become a reality

Sustain a thriving town centre offering a range of goods and services to the local community and visitors: - Maintain a core of retail in the primary shopping area in the centre - Link development to the town centre - Include policies that will support greater footfall to the town centre

The neighbourhood plan could designate a primary shopping frontage along Wheelock Street and support proposals for new retail (A1) development and resist proposals that would result in the change of use of existing A1 unless the number of A1 units reaches a particular level (eg. 80% of all A1-A5 units) Support proposals in the designated primary shopping frontage area for the temporary use of empty shop premises for start-up retail businesses or other forms of pop-up shops Ensure that new developments – both residential and commercial – incorporate footpaths and links to the existing town centre

25

Site selection – identify site to house permanent market including access to electricity Support proposals for housing development in the centre itself, for example above commercial units

Protect and improve the town centre’s heritage and wider public realm - Develop position on design of new build and maintenance of existing build. - Maintain and enhance local heritage assets and special character associated with the town centre public realm

Update design statement for the town centre – can relate to the conservation area but also to those sites adjoining this. Can specify materials, finishes, shop frontage specifications for example ensuring that development of sites reflects the character and heritage of the immediate environment. This can also include commercial property alterations and frontages which could also be requested to reflect the heritage of the immediate environment with suitable wall mounted signage. Existing green space that is felt to be of significance to local people can be designated under the Local Green Space legislation. Potential for new sites could be designated via the neighbourhood plan either as part of planning permissions or allocating potential future sites.

Secure long term future of community and cultural facilities that help to make the town special

Identify buildings/land to be assessed by the local planning authority for designation as Assets of Community Value as a result of their acknowledged importance to the life and enjoyment of the community Identify a need for new facilities and potential sites for those to be housed. Resist the unnecessary loss of community facilities

Development of specific projects that will improve the sustainability of the town centre

The neighbourhood plan can include detail of how any funding derived through development – section 106 or Community Infrastructure Levy – might be directed. Include a list of projects for this purpose.

26

Development of specific sites

The findings of this Review point to the desire among many locals to explore the potential to

restructure the town centre area in order to unlock areas of land and provide opportunities

that will contribute to the overall vision for the town. These include:

The current Tesco superstore site

Potential for this include the redevelopment of the site to be

residential and green space. This would enable housing closer to the

town centre creating greater footfall and providing space for those

who either do not necessarily have access to a car or who are less

mobile.

The Bull Ring area

Revisiting the layout of the road system, possible to relocate the

current bus terminus and taxi rank to enable an area for pedestrians

beyond the Bull Ring. Possibility to designate a ‘town centre’ lane for

traffic and also explore the flow of traffic itself in this area.

The civic area

Explore the potential to relocate the current civic facilities nearer to

the canal side and Town Wharf site to enable the development of this

currently derelict area. This would realise the aspiration to open up

the canal gateway to the town.

Town centre – shared space

Explore opportunities to improve the town centre for pedestrian

users which might include a feasibility study for a shared space

scheme or pedestrianisation of the area.

There may be other sites both within the town centre and further afield that are available for

development. Preparation of the neighbourhood plan can include a local ‘Call for Sites’ which would

invite any landowner wishing to put forward their land for consideration to do so. Sites would need

to be assessed against sustainability criteria.

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Beyond the neighbourhood plan

The neighbourhood plan offers a mechanism to put in place policies that will shape future

development in the town. They relate to land-use and spatial development. Beyond this there are

other initiatives that Middlewich might benefit from to achieve the vision for the town and town

centre. Using the existing objectives that have been developed by Middlewich Vision as a starting

point, Appendix D contains some examples as to how this might be delivered. Within the

neighbourhood plan, these non-planning issues can be identified and any Community Infrastructure

Levy received at the Town Council level can be directed towards them.

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Conclusion The town centre review has provided the occasion to take a fresh look at Middlewich at a time of

great change and opportunity.

The Town Council, together with its community, is embarking on the development of their

neighbourhood plan which will directly impact the way the town grows and functions over the long-

term. The plan will provide Middlewich residents with an opportunity to explore their aspirations for

the future of their town and how these might be achieved. It can drill into greater detail than past

and current plans including those at the planning authority level and, unlike parish planning, will

carry real weight in the planning system.

This document has explored the views of various stakeholders in the town, examined the current

local policy landscape and imagined a vision for the future of Middlewich. Middlewich is an

aspirational town and a front-runner in terms of finding new and innovative ways to strengthen its

sense of community spirit and particular identity.

The emphasis on the town centre being the ‘heart’ and focus for the community has been evident in

its investigations. The need for connectivity between the existing residential, commercial and retail

areas is a challenge that needs to be addressed now in order to ensure that future growth does not

lead to truncated areas of the town. Rather it strengthens the sense of community building around a

shared town centre space. Opportunities to reshape the town centre itself are available and whilst

they may take time to achieve, now is the time to set ideas in place so that opportunities can be

seized more easily.

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Appendix A – 2014 Benchmarking Results

Premises Number Streetname Name Classname Classification Type

Nature of Business

Chester Road Lidl A1 Convenience Multiple Supermarket

Civic Way Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service B1 n/a n/a Fire Station

Civic Way The Wych Centre D1 n/a n/a Community Centre

Hightown St Michaels and All Angels Church D1 n/a n/a Church

6 Hightown Vacant Was Natwest

8 Hightown Balti Spice Takeway A5 n/a n/a Takeaway

12 Hightown Colorz Unisex Salon A1 Comparison Independent Hairdresser

14 Hightown Tattoo's by Jim SG n/a n/a Tattoo Studio

16 Hightown Tims Gents Hair Shop A1 Comparison Independent Gents Hairdresser

18 Hightown Ayaan's A3 n/a n/a Restaurant

20 Hightown The Accord Clinic D1 n/a n/a Chiropodists

28 Hightown Number 28 D1 n/a n/a Parish Centre

32 Hightown Synergy A1 Comparison Independent Ladies Hairdresser

34 Hightown Middlewich Carpets and Flooring A1 Comparison Independent

Floor coverings

36 Hightown Jennie Edwards A1 Comparison Independent Soft Furnishings

2 Lady Anne Court G & S Design Ltd B1 n/a n/a Architects

10 Leadsmithy St Waters Edge Medical Centre D1 n/a n/a Surgery

16 Leadsmithy St Peter Forshaw Funeral Services A1 Comparison Independent

Funeral Directors

30

Lewin Street Middlewich Library D1 n/a n/a Public Library

Victoria Buildings Lewin Street Middlwich Town Hall D1 n/a n/a

Council Offices

Lewin Street Town Hall Function Suite D1 n/a n/a Civic Centre

Lewin Street The White Horse A4 n/a n/a Pub

Lewin Street Sure Start Childrens Centre D1 n/a n/a Children's Centre

5 Lewin Street Middlewich DIY Centre A1 Comparison Independent DIY

11 Lewin Street Middlewich Fryer A5 n/a n/a Takeaway

21 Lewin Street Jewson Ltd A1 Comparison Multiple Builders Merchants

22 Lewin Street The Narrowboat A4 n/a n/a Pub

24 Lewin Street Post Office A1 Convenience Multiple Post Office

25 Lewin Street UK IT Networks B1 n/a n/a Telecoms Services

33A Lewin Street Rainbow Hairstyles A1 Comparison Independent Ladies Hairdresser

35 Lewin Street Vacant

Newton Bank Morrisons A1 Convenience Multiple Supermarket

2 Queens Street Kings Arms A4 n/a n/a Pub

7 Southway Aspect 1 Hairdressing A1 Comparison Independent Ladies Hairdresser

11 Southway Charlotte Rose Florist A1 Comparison Independent Florist

Wheelock Street Tesco A1 Convenience Multiple Supermarket

Wheelock Street The White Bear A4 n/a n/a Pub

Wheelock Street Betfred A2 n/a n/a Betting Shop

Wheelock Street NFU Mutual B1 n/a n/a Insurance Company

1 Wheelock Street Vacant

3 Wheelock Street Tesco Express A1 Convenience Multiple Food

31

5 Wheelock Street Indigo Hairdressing A1 Comparison Independent Ladies Hairdresser

6 Wheelock Street The Vault A4 n/a n/a Pub

7 Wheelock Street Dragon City A5 n/a n/a Takeaway

9 Wheelock Street Vacant Was Choklet

10A Wheelock Street J Et Cie A1 Comparison Independent Hairdresser

10B Wheelock Street Razor Sharp A1 Comparison Independent Hairdresser

11 Wheelock Street Chimichangos A3 n/a n/a Restaurant

16 Wheelock Street Probert-Butcher Shop A1 Convenience Independent Butchers

18 Wheelock Street Dads and Lads A1 Comparison Independent Gents Hairdresser

19 Wheelock Street Middlewich Restore ? ? ? ?

20 Wheelock Street Cancer Research UK A1 Comparison Multiple Charity Shop

21 Wheelock Street Flavour Vapour A1 Convenience Multiple e cigarettes

23 Wheelock Street Vacant Was Peter Forshaw Funeral Services

24 Wheelock Street Barclays A2 n/a n/a Bank/Building Society

25B Wheelock Street Chatwins A1 Convenience Regional Bakers

27 Wheelock Street J.C Floral Design A1 Comparison Independent Florist

28 Wheelock Street Rowlands Pharmacy A1 Comparison Multiple Pharmacy

29 Wheelock Street Reeds Rains A2 n/a n/a Estate Agents

30 Wheelock Street CATS Optomerist A1 Comparison Independent Opticians

31 Wheelock Street Alhambra Chinese Restaurant A3 n/a n/a Restaurant

34 Wheelock Street Coulby Conduct A2 n/a n/a Estate Agents

35 Wheelock Street Drinks and Bites at No 35 A3 n/a n/a Café

36 Wheelock Street Coral Bookmakers A2 n/a n/a Betting Shop

37 Wheelock Street Booze Centre A1 Convenience Independent Drinks

38B Wheelock Street Harrisons Beautique SG n/a n/a Beauty Salon

39 Wheelock Street Fantastic Pizza and Kebab A5 n/a n/a Takeaway

32

40 Wheelock Street Nationwide A2 n/a n/a Bank/Building Society

41 Wheelock Street Café Bon Bon A3 n/a n/a Café

43 Wheelock Street Vacant Was Age UK

45 Wheelock Street Aiden J. Devaney A1 Convenience Independent Butchers

46 Wheelock Street Jane L Barker-Ophthalmic Opticians A1 Comparison Independent Opticians

47 Wheelock Street Vacant Was Foodamentalists

49 Wheelock Street Chrisholm Newsagents A1 Convenience Independent Newsagents

50 Wheelock Street Vacant Was Eric Alcock

51 Wheelock Street Blue Ginger A3 n/a n/a Restaurant

51A Wheelock Street Vacant Was "We Buy Silver"??

52 Wheelock Street Vacant

53 Wheelock Street Paragon A5 n/a n/a Takeaway

54 Wheelock Street Balti Chef A5 n/a n/a Takeaway

55 Wheelock Street Farrall Cleaners A1 Comparison Independent Dry Cleaners

56 Wheelock Street Print and Pictures A1 Comparison Independent Picture Framing

57 Wheelock Street Gallery Finance Limited A2 n/a n/a Finance Brokers

58 Wheelock Street Davies Tropicals-The Pet Shop A1 Comparison Independent Pet supplies

60 Wheelock Street Fashionista A1 Comparison Independent Clothing

63 Wheelock Street Vacant

65 Wheelock Street Vacant Was Café Med

66 Wheelock Street Temptations A1 Comparison Independent Gifts

70 Wheelock Street Vacant

71 Wheelock Street Vacant

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73 Wheelock Street Triffic Togs A1 Comparison Independent Children's Clothing

74 Wheelock Street Wheelock Chambers A2 n/a n/a Solicitors

76 Wheelock Street St Lukes Hospice A1 Comparison Regional Charity Shop

78 Wheelock Street Brooks and Bostock A1 Comparison Independent Jewellers

80 Wheelock Street Dinos' Kebab House A5 n/a n/a Takeaway

82 Wheelock Street The Travel Lounge A1 Comparison Independent Travel Agents

84 Wheelock Street Easy Tan SG n/a n/a Beauty Salon

85 Wheelock Street Cheshire Lasers SG n/a n/a Beauty Salon

86 Wheelock Street Vacant Was Body Rockers

88 Wheelock Street Waggs Boutique SG n/a n/a Dog Grooming

90 Wheelock Street Hair 2000 A1 Comparison Independent Ladies Hairdresser

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Appendix B – Outcome of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and

threats at January 2015 workshop

Strengths

The church is a visual focal point

The centre is compact

The park at Queen Street provides a good quality leisure facility near to the centre

Bull Ring – communal space

Mixture of retail units

Fair number of niche and independent shops

Traditional town centre

Proximity to the canal

Good level of community spirit and friendly locals

Heritage

Active calendar of events

Makers Market – increases footfall and provides a ‘pull’ to the town

Free parking

Commercial land

Proximity to the M6 junction

Weaknesses

Access to the town centre – lack of parking, pedestrian areas, signage

Not enough variety of local shops – a national / regional chain would be welcomed

Signage to and from the car parks

Lack of green and open space

Lack of pedestrian crossing between the wharf, Morrisons and Wheelock Street

Landlords are often remote to Middlewich – difficult to get hold of and gain their interest in the future of the town centre

Tesco land under utilised

Lack of public transport

The Vaults – an eyesore at one of the gateways to the town

Traffic congestion – the A54 and the canals split the town

Safety is poor – narrow streets, lorries mounting the pavements, mobility scooters on pavements

Lack of cycle paths

Town centre is remote from the main employment site (Midpoint 18)

Areas of vacant land – eyesores

Poor street lighting

Poor perception of the town centre

The proximity of the dual carriageway

No obvious link between the canal and the town centre

Lack of a railway station

High School is too small and lacks a 6th form college

Lack of funds

35

Lack of boating facilities

Poor footfall

Opportunities

Better use could be made of the Civic Way car park

Improved signage would help people access and interpret the town centre more easily

Better signage and creation of routes from the canal to the town centre

A new bypass which would ease congestion on Lewin Street

New government grants

Potential to levy a business rate on empty properties to discourage vacant units

Tesco land – opportunity to define what this should be used for including potentially housing to create greater footfall in the town centre

Long-term aim of converting the Vaults site into a retail site (ideally a national brand)

Redevelop the Bull Ring/bus stop/Vaults area to make it more attractive and usable for a range of activities

Increase footfall into the town centre by introducing more housing

Tourism

Night time economy

Events

Environmental improvements

Increase in Middlewich population size would benefit the town centre

East Link Road

New station

Lots of the buildings are publicly owned

HS2

Threats

Doing nothing or delaying on action will disbenefit the high street

Access to public transport may worsen if budget are reduced

Wheelock Street may suffer further from decline

Loss of political support and funding

Increase in crime

A new/extended town centre south of Middlewich is created by developers which would impact negatively on the current centre

Starbucks, which is currently located out of town and which draws visitors away from the centre

Continued lack of parking

Non-development of the Tesco land

Further traffic congestion

Out of town shopping

Internet shopping

HS2

Neighbouring towns – Sandbach, Winsford, Northwich

Cheshire West plans (including Cheshire Fresh site)

36

Appendix C – Emerging Cheshire East Local Plan – strategic sites and

locations

Name Size Detail

Glebe Farm Local Plan Strategy Site

17 ha Large greenfield site to south of town with scope for: - 450 new homes - pedestrian and cycle connections Could contribute to the delivery of the Bypass

Brooks Lane Strategic Location

23 ha Currently occupied by employment premises and unused / under used areas around 0.5km to the south of Middlewich town centre with scope for: - 400 homes - leisure and community facilities to the north of the site - appropriate retail to meet local needs - incorporation of Green Infrastructure - pedestrian and cycle links to connect development to existing employment, residential areas, shops, schools, health facilities, recreation and leisure opportunities and the town centre - potential provision of a Marina at the Trent and Mersey Canal Could contribute to the provision of a new railway station for Middlewich

Midpoint 18 Extension Strategic Location

<70 ha Expansion of existing business park employment land for which planning permission exists. The development depends upon the completion of the Middlewich Eastern Bypass. The site does not offer a strong relationship to the existing urban area of Middlewich but will adjoin the existing strategic employment site at Mid-Point 18, at the eastern edge of the town. Provision of well-planned cycle, pedestrian and road links within and through the site will enhance the sustainability of the site and its connections to the main urban area and population within Middlewich. Provision of new public transport services to this location will further enhance the sustainability of the site.

Although having planning permission, Phase 3 of Midpoint 18 is still undeveloped. This next stage of

development will cover the former Centura Foods and New Farm site, and land to the east of the

railway line. The site will be developed to provide various employment, and appropriate leisure and

tourism uses. The development of the site will be dependent upon the completion of the final

section of the Middlewich Eastern Bypass, for which a package of funding is currently being sought.

Completion of phase 3 could deliver over 2,000 jobs.

37

Glebe Farm Local Plan Strategy Site

Brooks Lane Strategic Location

Midpoint 18 Extension Strategic Location

38

Appendix D – wider community planning objectives

Community life and community buildings

Objective Proposed activities Potential actions

Support the development of our community buildings

Support the Wharf area as an all year round destination for activities

Address via site specific policy in the Neighbourhood Plan. Develop a programme of events for the wharf area.

Support the repair and promotion of Victoria Building as office and meeting rooms space

UNDERWAY

Encourage the retention of the toilets on Southway and at the Wharf as key assets to the town

Potential to explore Town Council taking on responsibility for the toilets. Other towns who have done this include: Sandwich, Falmouth, Saffron Walden.

Destination Middlewich Encourage the best use of our pubs, community centres and Civic Hall as arts and culture points

Installing ‘mini visitor information points’ in local shops and pubs – potential to link to training courses for locals (shopkeepers/taxi drivers/B&B owners) on the visitor market and meeting/greeting visitors. Knutsford have done something similar with members of the public: http://knutsfordhosts.co.uk/

Create directory of performance/display spaces and potential artists.

Encourage more arts and culture events in the town centre

UNDERWAY

Develop trails and walking tours as a reason for coming to Middlewich

UNDERWAY – Town Trails Guide printed – walking club starting

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Widen the marketing reach of the town

Create a Middlewich brand – image and text reflecting everything that Middlewich stands for – for example incorporating countryside, industry (salt), the canals, heritage. Ideally the brand should be used not only by the town council but by others promoting Middlewich to ensure that it becomes recognisable and part of the Middlewich message. Create links with Visit Cheshire to ensure optimum presence within their marketing. Develop a marketing strategy for the town – consider what are the key market segments for Middlewich and which channels of communication would be most appropriate for reaching them. Include an online strategy incorporating social media to encourage local people to share information about the town.

Access to information Develop a Community Handbook of activity and sources of information

Henfield (Sussex) have created an online version of this: http://www.henfieldhub.com/ Could also link to the signage objective to include town map installed at gateways to the town.

Link the Community handbook to key focal points in the town

You might wish to consider developing an app that can be accessed in the town and provide information in real time. This could also link into the walking routes/heritage trails you are devising.

Develop a Welcome Pack of information for those coming to Middlewich

DONE

Economy

Make the Town Centre including Wheelock Street an attractive place to visit

Clean and fresh shop facades UNDERWAY

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Empty shops used as pop up shops and local craft displays

Links to potential policy within the emerging Neighbourhood Plan on encouraging pop-up shops. Create a directory of landlords in the town to approach for pop-up shop ideas/ empty shops schemes (eg. pop-up gallery/ tourist information/ shared shops) and also to explore potential for reduced rents to encourage new-start businesses.

Wider pavements and traffic calming

Links to potential policy within the emerging Neighbourhood Plan on shared space/pedestrianisation. An interim measure might be to pilot street closure or restricted access on market days.

Increase car park areas directly off Wheelock Street

Links to policy in the emerging neighbourhood plan – identifying potential sites for development and exploring the potential for a town-wide parking strategy.

Wider variety of shops

Compile an inward investment resource for Middlewich indicating, for example, current footfall and consumer profile, information about rates and rents, available units. Work with local agents to understand the requirements of businesses looking for a unit in the area so that needs can be understood and addressed.

Develop a town centre user group for the area

A group for those with the common interest of securing a sustainable and prosperous town centre. Issues that the group might explore include: access, security, environment, marketing, events co-ordination and training.

There are lots of examples including:

Wrexham: http://www.wrexham.gov.uk/english/business/TownCentreForum.htm

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Hoddesdon: http://www.broxbourne.gov.uk/business-support-businesses/town-centre-business-forums

Markets in Middlewich Increase the competitions and activities that link the retailers with events such as the Makers Market

UNDERWAY

Encourage more weekend activities based in the town centre

Develop a more permanent market area closer to Wheelock Street

Links to policy in the emerging Neighbourhood Plan – identify potential site for this.

Link the town centre with the Wharf and canals

Improve signage from the canals

Undertake a signage audit to understand pedestrian flows and develop an overall signage strategy to address signposting of key routes into the town

Actively support the development of a marina to encourage more boaters to stop in Middlewich -

UNDERWAY – linked to the Cheshire East Local PLan

Improvements to the crossing point at the Holmes Chapel traffic lights

Could be detailed as a use of Community Infrastructure Levy within the emerging Neighbourhood Plan.

Leisure

Open space development Continue to rejuvenate our play areas

UNDERWAY – Booth Lane and Moss Drive done – Stallard Way is next.

Regenerate Fountain Fields as a park for all ages

Safeguard site in the neighbourhood plan. Potential use of Community Infrastructure Levy.

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Develop more allotments and community garden spaces

Identify potential sites via the Neighbourhood Plan.

Develop community woodlands and orchards

UNDERWAY – Community Orchard at Stallard Way planned.

Access to activity Have a quality leisure facility in the town, run by the town

Identify potential site via the Neighbourhood Plan.

Support the development of activity based groups that encompass various ages and abilities

Develop a resource for local community groups and individuals interested in setting up a club or activity but unsure of how to do this. This could include using the Community Handbook to direct people to potential venues as well as sources of funding. The project could link into existing groups such as U3A, AgeUK, mother and toddler groups, the library etc.

Canal side activity Ensure our canal towpaths are maintained to a suitable standard to encourage walkers, runners and cyclists

Links to the emerging Neighbourhood Plan.

Actively support the development of a marina to encourage more boaters to stop in Middlewich

Links to the emerging Neighbourhood Plan.

Provide more interpretation boards on the towpath to highlight our heritage, flora and fauna

To be addressed as part of the town-wide signage audit and strategy.