IMPROVING links between Crewe town centre and the Grand Junction Retail Park are among proposals to unlock £20 million funding to boost regeneration.

The schemes are part of Cheshire East Council's bid for cash from the government's Future High Streets Fund and also include a new pedestrian/cycle link from Mill Street to the civic quarter around Crewe Lifestyle Centre and Memorial Square as well as a highway link from Dunwoody Way to Flag Lane.

The council approved the development and delivery of a programme of interventions aimed at boosting Crewe town centre at its Cabinet meeting this week.

Council leader Cllr Sam Corcoran, said: "This council is committed to the regeneration of Crewe to boost the local area's economy and enable residents to lead successful, healthy and happy lives.

"As we continue to feel the economic impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, pushing ahead with our plans now and making decisions without delay is critical in kick-starting the local economy.

"They follow in the footsteps of other major projects realised in Crewe moving another step closer to realising this council's ambition to unlock the delivery of £180 million of investment into the town's regeneration."

Four of the projects included in the council's Future High Streets Fund application focus on making Crewe town centre more accessible and encouraging people to stay for longer:

As well as better links between the town centre and retail park, investment in digital infrastructure and smart parking measures to improve traffic flow are proposed.

Other schemes include new residential developments across three sites, a state-of-the-art history centre, potentially in the former library in the Civic Centre, the creation of two new workspaces to help new technology businesses and the creation of a sustainable energy network, initially linking public buildings.

Cllr Nick Mannion, Cheshire East Council Cabinet member for environment and regeneration, said: "These are exciting times for Crewe and so much has already been achieved. We want to see it grow to become a town of national significance and these proposals show how we as a council are working to realise that ambition.

"By providing authority to officers to progress these projects it will allow us to act and respond swiftly so that we are that one step closer towards revitalising Crewe and the surrounding area."

If successful, the proposals will be subject to further discussions and planning permission.

Meanwhile, councillors at the Cabinet agreed to delegate authority to Crewe Town Board member Cllr Mannion to submit Crewe's Towns Fund bid to government.

Crewe has been selected as one of 101 towns to put forward a bid for up to £25m of funding from the fund, which is available to spend up to 2026 to support the town's long-term economic growth.

They also agreed to delegate authority to the Executive Director – Place, Frank Jordan, to accept £750,000 accelerated funding from the Towns Fund for an improvement scheme, named 'Ly2, developed by the Crewe Cultural Forum to bring physical enhancements to Lyceum Square and its adjoining areas.

Cllr Mannion added: "Much work is being done by Crewe Town Board, in consultation with communities and leaders across the town, to develop a vision and strategy that will shape Crewe's transformation over the coming years."