Recently in Cheshire Category

The North West is "leading the UK out of recession," and "intervention at a regional level has protected the region from the ravages of recession." That was the bullish claim of one speaker at this morning's Smith Institute seminar at the House of Lords this morning I went to this morning.

The institute used the seminar, which featured among others North West minister Phil Woolas, to unveil its latest publication,The Future of the North West.pdf

The report states that the North WEst now has a £120bn economy and urges that the region be granted greater economic powers in order that its economic priorities be met.

The Chatham House rule prevents me from dishing the dirt on who exactly said what, but the flavour was a generally positive - vehemently at times - overview of how the North West is faring this downturn.

Hot off the press and winging its way to subscribers (and those browsing in selected WH Smith's) is this weeks EG and the Focus team are looking at Cheshire and North Wales.

Their travels and investigations have culminated in some interesting revelations and in one case a comparison to a surreal children's poem.

Under scrutiny are retail schemes in Chester, Macclesfield and Wrexham. For the first two it is a case of when and how development proposals can move forward with market conditions so dire; and for Wrexham questions are raised about whether the Eagles Meadow shopping centre was the right development for the North Wales town.

Away from retail woes, North West editor David Quinn looks at a planning shake up following the reorganisation of local councils in the county. There are now some unlikely bedfellows with affluent towns beloved of premiership footballers having to cosy up with those dominated by manufacturing. David asks how they'll manage to balance the very different priorities.

For all this and more on this corner of the North West and Wales see this weeks EG.