A CONSULTATION on the future of Weaver Square will ask residents to have their say on proposals for a food hub, a public square, and up to 160 new homes.

Cheshire West and Chester Council is set to put the survey out to the public this week, detailing a ‘masterplan’ for the area’s regeneration.

Cabinet member for economic development and infrastructure, Cllr Brian Clarke, said: “I’m sure local people are going to be delighted when they see the new plans for Weaver Square which builds on the consultation we ran in 2016.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create a really special showcase area for our town. I would encourage everyone to get involved and have their say.

“Weaver Square, along with the new Barons Quay development, provides us with a unique opportunity to change Northwich for the better and really boost the town and draw people in from the wider Cheshire community.”

“Coming on the back of the fashion anchor in Barons Quay, the Cheshire FA announcement and the North by Northwich Charlatans residency, there is a real feeling of optimism in the town.

“Weaver Square, with its many vacant units and poor architectural quality is letting the town down and these exciting plans will provide a bright new future for this area of the town.”

Small shops and business units will complement Barons Quay rather than compete with it, with flexible rent to ‘encourage traders and start-ups’.

Meanwhile, the masterplan features two zones of housing development, up to four-storeys high in places with the potential to deliver 160 homes including apartments, duplexes, town houses or work-live spaces.

Architects have also focused on a new food hall, in the style of Altrincham Market or the Northern Quarter’s Mackie Mayor – shared seating surrounded by small food outlets.

A partially-covered public square would face onto Chesterway, to ‘provide a sense of arrival at Northwich’ and also become a space for public events such as Christmas celebrations, markets, and live music.

The council is also looking at capitalising on a ‘once-in-a-generation opportunity’ to create a new public services facility, purpose-built to accommodate a range of services.

These could include health services, a police desk, and a job centre, with residents asked to select those which would be of most use.

See more and have your say here

There will be a drop in session on Wednesday, June 20 June from 3pm to 6.30pm at Memorial Court.

In 2016, more than 1000 people responded to the initial consultation with key stakeholders and the local community to gauge what improvements people wanted to see in the development area.

Feedback from the first stage of the consultation has shaped the proposed masterplan.

PSP Cheshire West and Chester LLP, which is a partnership between Cheshire West and Chester Council and Public Sector PLC, is managing the master planning process on behalf of the council.