A multimillion-pound scheme to transform the civic and cultural quarter of Crewe town centre is under way.

The project involves:

• Creating a cleared site for a new history centre to co-host Cheshire’s archives;
• A new pedestrian link between the Lifestyle Centre, Memorial Square and Market Hall connecting into the southern gateway link;
• A new car park with 31 spaces;
• A new, two-storey magistrates’ courts entrance;
• Public realm improvements, including new lighting, paving, seating and planting, bicycle racks, activity space and public art.

Salford-based MC Construction has completed the first phase of the scheme, which involved enabling works to strip out the former library next to Memorial Square where the history centre will be developed, clearing the structure over the existing Civic Centre car park and erecting a temporary entrance to the magistrates’ courts.

MC Construction will begin the next phase in February when it dismantles the former library building and the existing concourse. This phase is expected to be completed by summer 2024.

The works by MC Construction are being undertaken for Cheshire East Council.

Russ Forshaw, managing director of MC Construction, said: “This scheme will transform the civic and cultural quarter of Crewe town centre by providing new and greatly improved facilities for the public.

“Having successfully completed numerous other projects for Cheshire East Council, we are proud to be working with the authority once again and to further strengthen our relationship with this valued client.”

The revamp is being supported by the government’s Towns Fund and Future High Streets Fund.

The history centre, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, will co-host the regional’s written and pictorial history collections with a second history centre being built in Hoole, Chester. This scheme has been driven by Cheshire Archives and Local Studies, a shared service of Cheshire East and Cheshire West and Chester councils. The centres will replace the archive service’s current facility and open the collections to new audiences across Cheshire.

The centres will have climate-controlled environments and will feature event and gallery areas to host performances, workshops and exhibitions, more space for people to conduct research and better spaces to make the collections more accessible to the public.

Other professionals involved alongside MC Construction include Bowker Sadler Architecture, Davis Partnership and Wardell Armstrong.

Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals