Collapsed road repairs could cost £1m, say council

The B5470, between Macclesfield and Whaley Bridge, was shut in January

A rural road linking two major towns in Cheshire and Derbyshire could cost £1m to repair, with repairs potentially set to take until next spring.

The B5470, between Macclesfield and Whaley Bridge, was shut in January after part of the carriageway collapsed following heavy rain.

Cheshire East Council said it has now finished on-site investigations and is working on a repair plan, with an initial estimate suggesting it could cost around £1m to repair.

Businesses in the area, along with the MPs for Macclesfield and High Peak, have previously raised concerns about the closure of the road.

In an update, Cheshire East Council said it expects detailed plans on the repairs to be completed by October, with work set to begin in late autumn and completion flagged for either late winter or early spring.

The authority said it expects to provide more detailed information on construction dates and costs in September.

"We understand that working in the Peak District during the winter is not ideal due to the weather," the council said.

"However, we have decided to proceed with the work to get the road reopened as soon as possible, rather than delaying construction until 2026."

The road's closure was highlighted in Parliament in May, with Macclesfield MP Tim Roca describing the disruption to residents as "profound" and High Peak's Jon Pearce describing the closure as a "nightmare" for many residents.