CREWE has been earmarked for a new youth zone after an existing base for young people in the town centre was hit by the summer's floods.

The Cheshire East Youth Support Service hub in Market Street was closed under lockdown and has remained shut after the premises suffered water damage during June's torrential downpours.

Now Cheshire East is looking at developing a more ambitious project, along with a joint partner. to provide a modern long-term replacement facility for young people aged 13 to 19.

A successful funding bid to cover 50 per cent of the cost of the scheme would have to be made, but the council stresses the concept is in its early stages of development.

Cheshire East's director of early help and prevention, Alison Stathers-Tracey, said: "Crewe has been proposed as a site. We have the idea of young people using the town centre as part of the regeneration model and that is critical going forward in particular post-Covid.

"Young people are more confident about being out and about than older town centre users. It is really important to think about the mixed economy, not just the evening economy offer or retail economy offer, and young people are critical to that."

The council chief says a bid for the project would have to be submitted by a local charity operating in "a very specific area" who would then oversee its design and build.

Campaigners, including the charity Always Ahead, want to see a £3.5 million investment in the former Flag Lane Baths - left derelict since its closure in 2016 - so the vandalised premises can be transformed into a community hub.

But it is understood that the former baths site may not fit such a funding model and may be more suited to Heritage Lottery and other types of grant aid.

Work repairing the damage at the existing hub will be at a "significant" cost and Ms Stathers-Tracey added: "We were looking at where we could relocate young people's activities to anyway and certainly the premises we have got is not showing in my view.

"That ambition for our children and young people is where we need to be heading when this funding opportunity is available. What we don't have in Crewe is something for the older young person and something for their social space."

The site of the former Crewe Youth Centre in Mirion Street might be a popular choice for a new youth venue for the town. It was gutted by fire in 2014 and its buildings were demolished last year – but there have talks about putting it back into community use.

Crewe West councillor Marilyn Houston said: "I welcome this opportunity for the youth of Crewe. We have always had very good youth facilities here, but over the years they have been eroded."