Middlewich Eastern Bypass (MEB)

The scheme

The Middlewich Eastern Bypass will deliver a new two-way single carriageway road, connecting a new roundabout junction off Pochin Way in the north to another new roundabout junction to the south, linking with the A533 Booth Lane. The 1.6-mile scheme includes: 

• a new bridge over the Trent and Mersey Canal
• a new bridge over the Sandbach-to-Northwich railway line
• a combined cycleway and footway, supporting the council’s commitment to active travel and greener transport.

Following submission of the full business case, the council has received confirmation that ministers have granted full (final) approval for the scheme. As part of this approval, the Department for Transport (DfT) will provide a maximum capped funding contribution of £48.037 million towards the total estimated scheme cost. This includes £1.257 million of funding provided by DfT prior to 2020/21. 

The council is now working with the appointed principal contractor to update the scheme programme and agree a target cost for stage 2 construction works. Subject to council approval of expenditure and final land assembly, main construction works are anticipated to commence on site in spring 2026. 

The current estimated total scheme cost is £97.941 million, which includes spend in previous years to develop the outline business case. This cost is approved within the council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy 2025–2029.

Planning

The scheme has full planning consent with conditions.

Planning Permission 20/2064C amended the original permission 18/5833C, and 20/2162C formed a new permission extending the boundaries of the scheme for revised ecological mitigations and other minor changes to the design.

Two applications for minor material amendments to the permissions were approved with conditions in March 2022. These are 21/2044C and 21/2073C.

Full details of all applications can be found on the planning portal or within the documentation on the Statutory Orders page.

Prior to works commencing on site a number of the planning conditions need to be formally discharged by the council’s Planning Department and the work to achieve this is at an advanced stage. Conditions in relation to the early construction works described below have already been discharged.

Statutory orders

On 12 January 2022, the council formally sealed and dated the following statutory orders:

The Cheshire East Council (A533 Middlewich Eastern Bypass) Compulsory Purchase Order 2022

The Cheshire East Council (A533 Middlewich Eastern Bypass) (Classified Road) (Side Roads) Order 2022.

And the Cheshire East Council (A533 Middlewich Eastern Bypass-Trent and Mersey Canal Bridge) Scheme 2022.

Following a local Public Inquiry, which was held before an inspector appointed by the Secretary of State for Transport from 8-11 November 2022, the Secretary of State made a decision on 6 June 2023 to confirm the above orders with modifications. More information about this can be found on the Statutory Orders page.

Business case

The outline business case was submitted to the Department of Transport (DfT) in March 2017. The scheme has been accepted onto the DfT’s Large Local Major Scheme programme.

Public engagement

Public exhibitions relating to the scheme were held on Wednesday 28 March, Saturday 10 April, and Thursday 19 April 2018 at St Mary’s Church Hall in Middlewich to inform members of the public and others with an interest in the scheme of the council’s proposals and receive feedback for consideration in the further development of the scheme. Further information can be found on the exhibition boards (PDF, 3.8MB) and consultation brochure (PDF, 1.8MB) created for the consultation.

A detailed report on the findings of the consultation can be found in the supporting documents for the compulsory purchase order (CPO) under the statutory orders page.