A MASSIVE £24m redevelopment is in prospect for Blacon's run down Parade.

Cheshire West and Chester Council points out that Blacon, home to 16,000 people, is among the most deprived wards in the borough and in the top 10% nationally.

The Parade neighbourhood includes shops with flats and maisonettes above, houses, a social club and community facilities including a centre, a GP surgery and the Delta Centre youth club.

The area is “run down and unattractive in appearance” according to the council.

It provides poor quality shops and housing while the community facilities “are no longer fit for purpose”.

A report explains the redevelopment of The Parade was one of the key features which emerged from a master plan for the regeneration of Blacon after the estate became a neighbourhood management pathfinder in 2002.

Those involved included the former Chester City Council, Chester and District Housing Trust, residents, the Blacon Community Trust, Chester Civic Trust, West Cheshire primary care trust and English Partnerships.

A masterplan for The Parade was funded by English Partnerships which also agreed in principle to provide a significant level of grant to fund a gap in the finance.

But in March last year, a new organisation, the Homes and Communities Agency, which succeeded English Partnerships, decided it was unable to provide any cash backing due to other commitments and the downturn in housing market.

The new Cheshire West and Chester Council started discussions with the housing and primary care trusts when it was formed the following month and options for the redevelopment are now to be considered at a meeting of the council's Executive in Ellesmere Port on Wednesday (February 10).

The council believes that “as well as proposals for the physical regeneration of The Parade, this redevelopment offers the potential to pilot a new way of working with deprived communities, through an innovative neighbourhood management approach and community ownership of assets”.

The scheme to create a “vibrant” new area could help deal with the disadvantage experienced by many residents, believes the council.

Features could include an integrated health and community facility providing primary care, community and social care and new services including nursing, general practice, therapy, mental health and community services.

There would be at least 54 new homes, including affordable and enhancements to public space designed to improve safety, security and play space and “flagship” green measures.

In the future, the council believes the scheme could ensure more localised and community engagement in the ownership and management of local assets and community services.

This could become a model of best practice for other schemes in the borough and nationally.

Councillors will be asked to agree to reaffirm the council's commitment to the redevelopment of The Parade and to authorise more detailed development work including a planning application.

The executive would have a further report in the future with detailed proposals and the full financial implications.

The report reveals there is at present a funding gap of £2.5m and further work will be carried out on how best to deal with the shortfall.

Councillors will hear that if the redevelopment of The Parade does not take place, the council and other organisations would have to manage the decline of the area.

This would have both financial and social costs.

The meeting takes place in the Vauxhall Suite of Ellesmere Port Civic Hall at 6pm.