Member Article

Infrastructure and jobs boost for Cheshire East from Growth Deal

Cheshire East Council has outlined how it intends to use the £81.5m it has been awarded by the government following its successful bid via the Local Growth Fund.

The Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, has confirmed:

Congleton Link Road receives £45m Poynton Relief Road receives £16.4m £20m is to be injected into the collaborative Greater Manchester and Cheshire Life Sciences Investment Fund A commitment to work with the council to support the expansion of science and innovation across the Borough A commitment to work with the council to invest in a new railway station at Crewe.

As well as transforming Cheshire East’s infrastructure, the deal should bring around 2,000 jobs for local people – and reduced journey times on public transport.

The bid is part of the Cheshire and Warrington ‘Growth Deal’ which in total has received £142m to improve connectivity and deliver growth across the region.

It will improve connectivity between towns such as Congleton and Chester, Macclesfield and Manchester, and will give a boost to the life science sector across the sub-region.

It will also provide investment funding to high-growth small to medium sized business across Greater Manchester and Cheshire.

Council Leader Councillor Michael Jones said: “This is all part of putting residents first. This is a major move forward under my leadership and heralds the beginning of some very exciting times for Cheshire East.

“We bid for it, we achieved it and now we bring it forward as a major project of investment that will bring jobs and wealth to the local economy, as well as better connectivity.

“This funding will secure around 400 jobs at Congleton, as well as many more at Alderley Park.

“It will also take one hour off the journey times from Junction 15 to Poynton, as well as remove heavy traffic, including lorries, from Poynton, Congleton and Holmes Chapel”.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .