Cheshire West and Chester Council has agreed a 30-year ‘community asset transfer lease’ with the Whitegate Station Community Group.
Whitegate Station, in Winsford, has been transformed into a community run cafe – with trike hire, craft workshops and space for small businesses.
The Station House was used by the council’s ranger service until 2015 before being taken over by the Whitegate Station Community Group in May 2015.
The group started with an initial six month tenancy to test the neighbourhood plan priority to use the venue as a cafe and community shop, to use space for small businesses and to develop a workshop space in the goods yard for craft and leisure activities.
CWAC’s Cllr Louise Gittins said: “Following the cafe refurbishment by volunteers and a highly successful test period we received a business case requesting a full repairing and insuring lease of at least thirty years for the station house building and toilet block.”
The group identified a number of improvements required to make best use of the buildings and outbuildings for the cafe use.
The plans incorporate a larger kitchen, a glazed ‘Victorian’ canopy to increase covered outdoor seating capacity and modern toilet facilities situated within the cafe perimeter.
Gary Cliffe, director of the community group, said: “Thanks to Cheshire West and Chester Council we have now secured the building for the next 30 years and are delighted to confirm that our planning application has also been approved.
“We have succeeded in our bid for funding from The Veolia Environmental Trust, their grant means that the cafe’s future as a community run project is secure, it also enables us to fund a much needed kitchen extension and new toilet block for visitors.
“We are also very grateful for the top-up funding provided by Whitegate & Marton Parish Council.”
The Whitegate Station Community Group was established to take forward the initial idea to bring Whitegate Station back into use for the benefit of the local community.
It was incorporated as a company limited by guarantee in May 2015. It is a not for profit organisation with volunteer directors – any profits are used for the benefit of the community.
The station house is open weekdays (10am to 3pm), weekend and Bank Holidays (10am to 4pm).
