A Congleton Town Council working group wants to work with both parties who are integral to ensuring a major new shopping complex scheme in the town centre doesn't become a "zombie investment" after planning permission was granted 10 years ago.

Cllr Russell Chadwick told Thursday's virtual Congleton Town Council meeting of the Town Hall, Assets & Services Committee that the business support working group would like to work alongside Cheshire East Council and Scarborough Group to regenerate the market area.

It has now been a decade and there is still no sign of work starting, which would revitalise the Bridestones centre, the development includes a town square, restaurants and cafes.

The original submitted plans included a 93-bed hotel and large supermarket, but when the planning permission expired, Scarborough Group presented another proposal for The Mills, which entailed redeveloping vacant retail units on Mill Street into a modern two-storey scheme, with the developers also contributing to improving the town's market.

However, there have been boards marketing The Mills for several years. The board says "Exciting new retail and leisure destination at the heart of Congleton. Up to 43,000sqft of new retail and leisure space".

Speaking at Thursday's meeting, Cllr Chadwick, chair of the business support working group, said: "Rather than having this zombie investment in the market area, we want to try to push it forward with the help of Cheshire East and Scarborough."

Cllr Duncan Amies wanted to know when the town council had last heard of any dialogue between themselves, Cheshire East or Scarborough.

Cllr Chadwick responded: "Cheshire East and Scarborough have had a conversation in the last 12 months and I believe it was no change, but what we want to do is to try and talk to both parties to see whether we can put a different idea on the table and just to understand what's going on in Scarborough's mind.

"At the moment, I believe it's just a zombie investment and nothing's happened. If it carries on like this, it will be another 15 years."

Cllr Amies said: "Scarborough is the key, maybe there has to be some compromise with us on that and maybe just asking them 'what do they want to do'."

Cllr Chadwick added: "Why couldn't we propose it to be housing, try and consider different aspects to move it forward."

The working group also has a long-term goal of working with Cheshire East to bring a sports hub to Congleton and focus on resolving Capitol Walk.

Mr Chadwick told the committee that the working group initially set up a 'Help Scheme' for town businesses and also distributed a questionnaire, which focused on the financial implications on Covid-19 and to date the survey has received 44 responses.

Of the 44 responses, four businesses have needed to be "escalated" to the working group's free advice line. The group has also spoken to most of the businesses on the High Street to get a better understanding of what the local traders' issues are.

Cllr Chadwick told the committee that the number one problem businesses have is footfall and car parking charges.