AFFORDABLE homes need to be included in the redevelopment of Northwich town centre, according to a former councillor.

Andrew Needham spoke to the ruling group of Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWAC) in the light of the new Baron’s Quay development framework, officially revealed to the public yesterday, Tuesday.

He said: “There are a number of families in Cheshire who still have children in their 30s living at home.

“It’s very sad to see that in the new proposals for Baron’s Quay housing seems to have been taken out altogether.

“I think there’s a lot of potential on the land, which is a very large site, for housing.

“There’s a particular opportunity for council-owned land to be made over at an affordable price.”

Clr Herbert Manley, CWAC’s executive member for prosperity, said town centre homes would be an important part of the new vision.

“We take that on board as a way to develop for the future,” he said.

“We don’t want to have an area in the centre of any town where there are no homes at all.

“We all know the problems when there’s no nighttime economy.”

On the whole, councillors at CWAC’s executive meeting on Wednesday gave the provisional plans a cautious welcome.

Clr Paul Dolan said: “The vision has felt like a roller coaster road – stop go stop go.

“I hope these proposals will help unleash the potential of Northwich at the confluence of two rivers.”

Clr Mark Stocks said: “This is certainly a welcoming step and we need to make sure the momentum this starts is kept to a good level and we see real developments in the town centre.”