RESIDENTS will soon be able to have their say on Crewe's future with HS2.

Cheshire East Council is to launch a public consultation on its draft Crewe HS2 Masterplan Vision.

The document provides a strategic framework for the town - showing how current regeneration plans for Crewe could be built upon through future development, investment and infrastructure to maximise the transformative economic benefits of an enhanced HS2 hub rail station at Crewe.

If approved, the vision will be used to develop detailed plans and policies for key areas for investment, including from the town centre to the areas around the existing station. 

Cllr Rachel Bailey, leader of CEC, said: "The arrival of HS2 at Crewe by 2027 provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to deliver nationally significant transformational economic growth and regeneration – not only to Crewe, but the whole of the sub-region.

"An enhanced Crewe hub station would be the catalyst to deliver this growth, jobs and investment opportunities for Crewe and our partner councils and LEPs in the Constellation Partnership and the wider Midlands and North Wales regions.

"A fully-connected HS2 Crewe hub is a key aim of this council in order to maximise the enormous economic benefits this project will deliver to the whole sub-region and beyond. It reflects a plan-led approach to growth for Cheshire East and our partners. 

"But Crewe needs to be HS2 ready. These huge potential benefits can only be delivered with the right masterplan framework in place for Crewe before the arrival of HS2. That is why we have produced this draft masterplan vision document which will undergo full public consultation.

"I would also reiterate that we wish to see the highest standards of mitigation and compensation for those people and businesses affected by the HS2 route.

"We will continue to press for a strategic hub station at Crewe, served by increased HS2 services to and from London, Birmingham and Manchester, that will benefit from the station’s unrivalled 360-degree connectivity. In this way the economic benefits could then reach far beyond the traditional political and regional boundaries."

The draft masterplan vision is based on government deciding to deliver both enhanced rail infrastructure and a hub station at Crewe capable of serving up to seven stopping high-speed HS2 trains per hour, with direct services to Manchester, Birmingham and London.

Together with a programme of investments in the town centre, hub station surrounding area and local highways network, the vision shows how Crewe could be transformed for the benefit of communities across the borough – creating potential diverse employment, housing, retail, leisure, cultural and educational opportunities. 

The draft masterplan vision would support the creation of almost 40,000 new jobs over the next 30 years in Crewe alone and facilitate additional economic growth across the surrounding towns in Cheshire East and its Constellation partners in neighbouring authorities.

It would also look to create a new commercial hub around the station housing more than 350,000sq metres of new commercial floor space and deliver an additional 7,000 homes, above existing plans, by 2043.

A six-week consultation will be launched later this month.