New direction for Northwich day care centre

Cheshire West and Chester Council wants to dispose of the Leftwich Green hub, to be replaced by a brain injury rehabilitation centre.

CWAC closed the Leftwich Green Day Centre on Old Hall Road in 2022, following a cabinet decision in 2021.

According to council documents, the buyer is keen to complete the deal in short order, make a start by March this year on its conversion, and have its operation up and running by summer.

Although full details of the disposal remain confidential pending cabinet sign-off, the site had been marketed at £1.5m by BA Commercial.

The site was marketed in autumn last year, and now a report from CWAC chief operating officer Simon Riley seeks cabinet approval for the disposal, in what is classed as a key decision – one that involves a sum of more than £1m, or affects more than two council wards. The cabinet meets on 15 January.

Leftwich Green was initially offered internally around council departments and partner organisations, but no hands were raised to take the site on. CWAC said that benefits of selling the site include creation of a capital receipt, and “redeveloping the site for the people of Northwich” in line with the desire stated in the 2021 decision.

Sales particulars describe the property as offering 14,479 sq ft over two storeys. In its present layout, it offers 32 bedrooms, living rooms, kitchen and meeting rooms, within a 1.61-acre site.

Standing empty, the site, described in the sales particulars as “in a poor state of repair”, has attracted anti-social behaviour, said Riley’s report. This report went on to say that the capital receipt obtained will part-fund the council’s capital programme, which is dependent on generating at least £20m of receipts over the next four years to fund council investment priorities.

The incoming use could provide up to 60 jobs at the site to the south of Northwich town centre.