The writing’s on the wall for Macclesfield town centre redevelopment

Not local news we know, but there’s a lesson to be learned in Wigan for Cheshire East’s planners and advocates of the discredited Macclesfield Redevelopment scheme.

The £60m redevelopment of Wigan town centre looks certain to be approved when it goes before the town’s planning committee next week.

The proposals involve partially demolishing Wigan’s Galleries Shopping Centre – the construction of which involved the demolishing of many old shops and buildings and the loss of many old-establised businesses – wait for it –  to re-establish the town’s original street pattern!

The Galleries shopping centre has 147 units – but 63 have been empty for some time.

Wigan planning officers have recommended the scheme is approved and said: “The proposals represent a very significant and vitally important private investment within the town centre, which will specifically address the decline and high level of vacant units within the Galleries.”

They added: “This development is an exciting opportunity for the town centre to enhance its reputation of being a vibrant place to live and work.”

Do I recall Cheshire East’s planners saying exactly the same thing about their plans to build Macclesfield’s own white elephant?