Council Chiefs Assure Residents Town Masterplan Is On Track

The community is being assured there is plenty going on behind the scenes now the town's abandoned salt mines have been filled.

Cllr Herbert Manley, Lead Councillor for Area Working and Regeneration, said: "While it is difficult to go into details during the negotiation stages, I would like to assure people that the Northwich Vision is progressing very nicely."

He added: "Many people are putting many hours into making the Vision hugely successful and most importantly, sustainable for the people of Northwich and future generations."

Plans for the town still include the introduction of a national department store, which is likely to be Debenhams, a multi-screen cinema and a cultural centre.

Bars and restaurants are planned to boost the town's nightlife, 40 new retail units will be built and a 90,000 square foot food store is also on the cards.

The transport infrastructure has been redesigned, as revealed in the Guardian last month, to facilitate a boom in the retail, leisure and tourist trade.

The masterplan maintains strong pedestrian links to Witton Street and takes into account the desire of residents to keep Northwich's market town character and unique architecture.

The planned regeneration scheme is expected to attract private sector investment totalling £200 million at Baron's Quay as well as a further £100 million in the wider area.

The 600,000 square feet site will include more than 55,740 square metres of retail, leisure and office facilities, up to 300 new homes and will also create 2,000 new jobs.