Business leaders have called on the government to treat the Middlewich Bypass as an 'urgent priority', saying their expansion strategies depend on its completion. The much-anticipated route was shelved in April of last year by the former government, which directed Cheshire East Council to reassess the scheme's costs after labelling the business case as 'poor'.
After resubmitting its final business case in September 2024, the council is now awaiting the green light for grant funding from the Department for Transport.
Now prominent companies such as Swizzels, GO Outdoors Retail and Blacks Outdoor Retail, British Salt , NPL, Tata Chemicals Europe, Wincanton Logistics, Green Earth Developments, Optima Logistics, and Tritax Big Box Developments have written to Lilian Greenwood, Minister for the Future of Roads, to demand the scheme gets approval.
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They said: "As businesses located in Middlewich, we are writing to express our collective support for this scheme. Our growth plans depend on it.
"The Middlewich Eastern Bypass has overwhelming local support and has long been campaigned for by residents and businesses like us. That is because it is fundamental to the long-term economic growth of Middlewich, and to the wider Cheshire East and region."
They call the road scheme a "critical infrastructure improvement" for Middlewich and said the town "has long suffered from severe traffic congestion, poor air quality, and a lack of modern transport solutions to sustain Middlewich's growing community".
The business leaders said they needed a reliable and efficient highway network for their operations and said: "This scheme is an opportunity to ensure the town remains a vital hub for employment and economic activity in the region and that it can continue to attract investment.
"The scheme will provide the key to unlocking the constraints that shackle future growth and prosperity in Middlewich and the wider region."
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The business case was reviewed by the Department for Transport's Investment Committee in November. The committee will make a recommendation to the Secretary of State for Transport, Heidi Alexander, reports .
Cheshire East is hoping to receive government approval early this year so work can commence on site in spring and the bypass can be open by autumn 2027.
The council's highways and transport committee will consider a report later this month on the next steps to take to ensure work can begin as soon as possible if a positive funding decision is received.
Cllr Mark Goldsmith, the chair of the highways committee, said: "The significant benefits of this scheme to businesses like those that have written to the government are clear and will extend well beyond the town itself.
"By improving the highway network, it will improve connectivity to major employment sites and enhance the region's attractiveness for further development – our plan is to unlock up to 1,950 new homes and employment land and potentially create up to 6,500 jobs in the local area.
"The bypass is 'shovel ready', with designs completed, all planning permissions and statutory orders confirmed, and contractors lined up.
"As local businesses have also called for, we strongly urge the government to consider this scheme as an urgent priority and provide the investment needed for this project."
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