Bidding starts for Macclesfield leisure sites

Cheshire East Council has opened the bid process for the leisure-led development opportunity in Macclesfield town centre.

Sanderson Weatherall and BNP Paribas Real Estate have been appointed joint agents to market two sites, in Churchill Way and Duke Street, one of which will be sold for development. Bidding is expected to be strong for the opportunity to develop in the affluent commuter town on the edge of the Peak District.

Nick Hynes, delivery executive and chairman of Macclesfield Town Centre Vision Stakeholder Panel, advising Cheshire East Council, said: “People are looking to their town centres to be leisure destinations and to provide a good retail mix.

“The council has had many conversations with local businesses, local residents and potential developers. The stakeholder panel set up in May has thrown itself into considering all sorts of ideas about how we can work together to improve the retail offer for visitors and local shoppers.

“It is important to note that we are not just looking to sell to the highest bidder but would like to find a purchaser who will offer the best all-round scheme for the town centre.

“For a town the size of Macclesfield, the leisure offer is limited. I believe this is a good time to go out and look for investment. We know that local people want to see a quality development which not only increases footfall but which also reinforces Macclesfield’s unique personality.”

At the end of June, Cheshire East Council announced its intention to sell either Duke Street or Churchill Way Car Park to a developer as part of a regeneration plan to attract more people into the heart of the town centre.

A previous development agreement with Wilson Bowden for a major town centre redevelopment was cancelled at the start of the summer.

The deadline for bids is 2 November.