Cheshire East Council supports town council's ‘city status’ bid

Cheshire East Council is supporting a town-council led bid to grant Crewe ‘city status’.

As part of a competition launched to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, three new cities are to be designated in 2022.

Crewe Town Council has announced it will be putting forward a bid for the railway town to be granted the rare honour.

Councillor Nick Mannion, chair of Cheshire East Council’s economy and growth committee, said: “Work has been ongoing at pace to carve out a new chapter for Crewe and its communities and to secure the town’s long-term economic growth.

“Looking at just the past few months’ achievements, we have seen the highly successful reopening of the Market Hall and a total of £37m of government investment is now allocated to Crewe through the Towns Fund and Future High Streets Fund.

“We continue to work closely with our partners, including Crewe Town Council and Crewe Town Board, to maximise the significant regeneration and investment opportunities available to the town both now and in the future, such as the arrival of high-speed rail, and to deliver on our shared vision.

“The town council’s bid for city status illustrates the sheer weight of the ambition to ensure the town’s revitalisation and recognises the strategic importance of Crewe both locally and nationally.”

Other major successes realised in the town include the opening of the University Technical College and Lifestyle Centre, as well as the delivery of a number of major highways projects including the Sydney Road Bridge and Crewe Green Roundabout schemes. 

The council has been allocated up to £14.1m of government funding from the Future High Streets Fund. Most recently, Crewe also secured a ‘Town Deal’ and a separate allocation of funding from the government’s Towns Fund of up to £22.9m.

The funding allocations are earmarked to deliver two packages of projects that will support the town’s ongoing regeneration.

Meanwhile, work is ongoing on the Royal Arcade scheme and on a major package of active travel and road improvements in North West Crewe.

The council is also seeking to bid for Crewe to become the location of the national headquarters of new public body Great British Railways.