Winsford 'masterplan' being developed to rejuvenate town

CWAC has commissioned Nexus Planning to produce the Development Framework, a study that will set out a clear approach for the regeneration of the town.

The masterplan will consider the town in four key zones – Winsford Cross Shopping Centre, Verdin Exchange and the Old High Street and New Road Industrial Area.

A second study has also been commissioned to look at how the town can improve transport links.

Winsford Town councillor, Cllr Brian Clarke, said: “After a number of years of slow growth, we are now entering a very exciting time for Winsford.

“The Neighbourhood Plan sets out how we want our town to look by 2030, and both of these studies’ findings will help us to decide the priorities that we must set out to achieve our objective of making Winsford ‘the only town you’ll ever need’.”

The Development Framework’s main objective will be to identify a series of private and public development opportunities necessary to ‘knit’ the town back together.

A key focus of the masterplan will be improving connections between Town Park, the old High Street, the town centre and the river to make the town ‘function’ as one place.

It will examine how to improve existing buildings, the townscape and public realm, and how to make the most of greenspaces and leisure areas such as the Flashes.

Improving connectivity and access for pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles across the town centre will be another area of study.

The study will be overseen by the Winsford Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group, which was recently formed to help drive the plan forward.

Cllr Brian Clarke, who is also a member of the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group, said: “Winsford has enormous potential to be recognised as one of the region’s most vibrant and desirable places to live, work and visit.

“And both of these strategies, together with the Neighbourhood Plan, will be the key to unlocking this.”