Macclesfield Road in Rainow opens following major repair works

The B5470 Macclesfield Road between Ginclough and Kettleshulme has reopened to traffic ahead of schedule, following the completion of a complex, large-scale highway repair scheme.

The works were required after the embankment and part of the road collapsed in January 2025 following significant rainfall. 

The location, terrain and condition of the existing road meant that multiple surveys including, ecological, geotechnical and drainage surveys had to take place before this civil engineering project could begin. 

The discovery of previously unidentified land drains during construction also presented further challenges. It is suspected that a break in one of these historic pipes contributed to the collapse of the hillside.

The works were originally due to be completed in several weeks’ time but thanks to the efforts of the highways teams on site, the road was reopened to traffic today.

Councillor Mark Goldsmith, Cheshire East Council cabinet member for highways and transport, said:

“I want to thank everyone for their patience as I know this closure has caused significant disruption to residents, local businesses and road users. 

"However, this has been a very challenging scheme, not least because the collapse happened without warning. It was unforeseeable and once the hillside gave way, there was never going to be an easy way to fix it. It left us with no other option but to close the road and undertake the extensive works needed to stabilise the hillside and rebuild the road. 

“The scale of this project is reflected in the volume of materials removed, recycled and installed on site. More than 4,000 tonnes of sand, spoil and old road surface have been removed and recycled during the scheme – equivalent to the weight of around 2,700 family cars. The huge amount of sand we removed has been sold to a building company to use in construction, which also shows why the hillside was so unstable. 

“Managing the safe removal and reuse of these materials within the constraints of this rural location also added to the complexity of the works.

“We have now made significant improvements to the drainage infrastructure to help increase resilience during periods of heavy rainfall. This includes the installation of 64 metres of new land drains, along with new surface water drainage gullies and headwalls to improve waterflow. Additional manholes have also been installed to support long-term inspection and maintenance.

“Over 5,000 tonnes of aggregate and soil were used to rebuild and strengthen the embankment, which was then seeded to blend in with the surrounding area. This section of road is situated within a national park, so it was essential that is does not detract from the outstanding beauty of the wider landscape.

“Vegetation has also been cleared along this section of the B5470 and the road has been fully resurfaced, underlining the scale of the work which has taken place to improve the road, drainage and long term reliability of the network.”

Works will continue on site for a short time to dismantle the temporary footbridge.

Pictured - Macclesfield Road in Rainow.