Crewe on the cusp of ‘landmark’ change with masterplan to create 40,000 jobs

The leader of Cheshire East Council has revealed a new masterplan for Crewe that could create thousands of new jobs.

Speaking at the MIPIM property festival held this week in Cannes, Cllr Rachel Bailey said the upcoming HS2 rail line will be a “landmark moment” both for Crewe and the wider Cheshire area.

She said: “This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity will trigger transformational change in UK connectivity over the next decade which will make Crewe the busiest station on the HS2 line.

“It has raised the expectations of the local community and the full weight of the council is behind the project.”

She added: “It’s also crucial in terms of creating employment, diversity of jobs, raising aspiration and creating opportunities in education.”

In addition to the proposed new HS2 Hub Station, a council team led by consultants Arup and property firm CBRE has created a new masterplan covering over 2270 acres of prime development land in Crewe.

The council has predicted that the masterplan could lead to the development of over 6,300,000 sq ft of commercial space and the creation of 40,000 jobs.

Once HS2 is operational, Crewe will be located within a 25-minute train journey of both Manchester city centre and Birmingham. Central London will be less than an hour away from the town.

Speaking further, Cllr Bailey commented: “There is no doubt that Crewe has so much going for it, surrounded as it is by incredible countryside and home already to global business like Bentley.

“Our vision to ensure that Crewe develops into a thriving town in its own right and moves out of the shadow of nearby big cities is focused on five key drivers.”

She continued: “We will harness the quality of the local landscape and place; we will invest in existing and new infrastructure; continue to build on the existing strengths in our economy; capitalise on the connectivity delivered through high speed rail and ensure that strong political leadership will deliver for the town and across the wider Constellation area.”

Arup director Malcolm Smith is confident Crewe will seem like a completely different place in 10 years’ time.

He explained: “Through a confident re-imagination of the assets of Crewe, combined with the potential of the new infrastructure through HS2, Crewe is on the cusp of a generation of change with an outcome of quality of life, employment and investment opportunities that is second to none.

“The masterplan will bring the town and the rail hub together. Everything will improve. The new station will be characterised by the surrounding landscape and will be a place for both people who use it to travel and those who don’t.”

He added: “HS2 is clearly a major pump primer and it will make Cheshire even more competitive for commuters, the aspiration for achievement in every sector will be raised and we predict it will help double GVA and triple the number of new jobs in a decade’s time.”

The reveal of the Crewe masterplan follows the unveiling of a new brand for the Northern Gateway Development Zone, an investment partnership of seven local authorities and two Local Enterprise Partnerships in Cheshire and Staffordshire.