MORE than a decade’s worth of promises have come to nothing with the revelation that Northwich Vision has ceased to be.

Residents and traders have long doubted whether anything will happen to regenerate the town centre, despite assurances from the former Vale Royal Borough Council and Northwich Vision partnership that there is plenty going on behind the scenes.

Paul Bosman, manager of Weaver Square Shopping Centre, said: “I had heard rumours that Northwich Vision had at least been put on a back burner.

“It would be nice to know what they are doing.

“We were told that within a few months of them filling in the mines they would start on regeneration.

“Well, the mines have been filled in now for two years and it just seems nothing has happened.

“The traders say that if there is a vision for Northwich they would like to be informed about what the progress is going to be because at the moment a lot of people are left hanging in limbo.”

He said the vision had caused problems in terms of trying to fill empty shop units in the town centre.

“We’ve had a lot of inquiries but people say ‘what is the vision?’ and that’s when they start looking at where the vision is supposed to be – they don’t want to end up on the outskirts,” he said.

Town mayor Helen Burder said she thought it strange that Northwich Town Council had not been informed on the progress of Northwich Vision and said that residents just needed to know what was going on.

“We’ve been left in the lurch,” she said.

“For it to drag on for this length of time is ridiculous.

“At least give us some hope – if not for the full vision, just some semblance of a decent looking town.”

Weaver Vale MP Mike Hall has written to Steve Robinson, the chief executive of Cheshire West and Chester Council, in a bid to find out exactly where the regeneration plans are up to.

He wrote: “Vale Royal Borough Council put a great deal of time, effort and resources into bringing forward the Northwich Vision.

“Stabilising the four disused salt mines under Northwich town centre was the essential precursor to achieving the vision for Northwich.

“The Northwich Vision is a very well established blueprint for the redevelopment of Northwich town centre.

“Can you please confirm that Cheshire West and Chester Council is still committed to the Northwich Vision and let me know where we are up to in implementing this vision?”