Cheshire East has secured more funds towards the Gypsy and Traveller site at Middlewich and hopes to begin the tendering process for construction soon, writes Belinda Ryan.
Planning permission was granted last August for the site to be developed on land off Cledford Lane.
Cllr Janet Clowes (Wybunbury, Con) asked for an update at Tuesday’s (July 12) meeting of the council’s economy and growth committee.
Karen Carsberg, who heads the council’s housing and homelessness team, said: “We’ve been progressing to discharge our planning conditions, which we have done.
“We also submitted an application to Homes England for additional funding to help towards the development costs. That has been approved and has been successful.
“However, we are still awaiting the Homes England contract and have been now for a couple of months.
“They’ve advised me that the contract should be with us by the end of July and then, if we’re happy with the contract and enter into the contract, then we can progress to the construction phase.”
Mrs Carsberg said the start of the construction phase is the tendering of works packages and to get a price.
“At the moment the contractors are not prepared to give us a price because of the volatile market, as we’re all aware,” she said.
“So as long as that comes in within budget, then we can proceed to the construction phase. That’s where we are at the moment.”
Cheshire East currently does not currently have a transit site.
In boroughs which do, police have the power to immediately move Gypsies and Travellers off unauthorised encampments and on to the transit site.
Because Cheshire East does not have a site it has to apply for court orders – a process which is more costly and time consuming.
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