COUNCILLORS have agreed to find a charity partner that can help deliver an ambitious £8.4 million youth zone for Crewe.

The scheme could be a major boost for the town after existing hangouts for young people have vanished.

The Cheshire East Youth Support Service Hub in Market Street closed on lockdown and has since been damaged by flood water. While the Crewe Youth Centre was gutted by fire in 2014 and its buildings were later demolished.

Crewe East councillor Suzanne Brookfield urged members at Cheshire East Council's Cabinet meeting today (Tuesday) that discussions should be held with the youth centre's committee as the former site in Mirion Street could be a potential base for the new Crewe Youth Zone.

As yet no location has been earmarked for the project, which would see the council spend £2.1m covering part of a large capital cost.

The authority needs to find a charitable partner that can make a successful bid to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport to cover the rest of the outlay.

Cllr Brookfield said: "I've worked with the Crewe Youth Centre committee for many years and they own a site in Crewe which had a dedicated youth centre on it.

"I would like us to continue discussions with the committee as perhaps we could use that site (Mirion Street). It's important that Crewe has these youth facilities as the deprivation levels in the town are particularly high."

Fellow Crewe councillor Hazel Faddes said: "We've got a desperate lack of youth facilities in Crewe. The Youth Zone would provide our youngsters with social interaction outside of a school setting and it is important to deal with the pressures they are under at the moment; this would give them a release elsewhere."

The Youth Zone could include facilities such as outdoor pitches, an indoor gym and space for the performing and creative arts as well as a café - it would cater for children and young people aged from eight to 19.

Cllr Kathryn Flavell, the council's portfolio holder for children and families said it offers an "amazing opportunity" for youngsters to get involved in the design and branding of the building.

The council says the plans would support the diversification of Crewe and complement investment in Crewe Lifestyle Centre, Crewe UTC and Market Hall and would encourage more people to visit the town centre during the day and evening.

It would have to commit to a £400,000 per year spend on running costs, although that would be in the form of a grant to the independent charity chosen to run the Zone.

The lease on Cheshire East's existing Youth Hub has expired and all youth activities are to be relocated to the Lifestyle Centre until the new premises are developed; plans for which could be on the board by next spring dependent on funding.

The Cabinet voted to proceed with the project and find a partner charity to part fund and run the Zone, although there was some concerns expressed about the current lack of detail.

Cllr Michael Beanland said the scheme appeared "just too vague", needed "more clarification" and added the £2.1m spend should benefit young people across the borough.

Cheshire East's Conservative leader Cllr Janet Clowes recalled how a similar youth project in Warrington has taken five years to near completion.

"In the post-Covid economy the sustainability of long-term charitable status projects are very difficult and we need to do due diligence. The current position for charities is very precarious," she warned.

And Poynton East and Pott Shrigley councillor Jos Saunders said: "This will benefit the children and young people of Crewe, but not children and young people in Macclesfield. Rather than spend money on another site near to existing facilities like the Crewe Lifestyle centre we should develop this offer to all our young people."

But Crewe North councillor Jill Rhodes reminded the Cabinet: "The highest deprivation in the borough is in Crewe and we don't have a youth facility here of any description after it (the Hub) was flooded out and not replaced."