The first set of results for the 2021 Census were released this week, following Census Day on 21 March 2021, offering a valuable insight into the population of Cheshire East.

Headline results from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed a growth in population in Cheshire East, which now stands at 398,800 residents – an increase of 28,700 from the previous census in 2011, as revealed in our story here https://alsager.nub.news/news/local-news/census-2021-cheshire-east-grows-by-more-than-28000-in-ten-years-139456

The population in the borough has increased by 7.7 per cent since the last census in 2011, compared to 6.3 per cent in England and Wales, and 5.2 per cent in the North West region.

Cheshire East now remains the third largest of the 39 local authorities in the North West – behind Manchester and Liverpool – and fifteenth largest in England.

But when we look at Alsager, how has the town changed in the last 10 years and how do people remember it?

Alsager town centre has seen some changes. The Co-operative store was rebuilt and enlarged and in 2015 it became Asda.

The Fairview car park capacity was increased and MMU's Alsager campus shut the year before in 2010.

Various new housing has been built in the town and new people have moved to the town, like Miriam Umpleby.

She said: "In 2011, Alsager was a place to visit from Yorkshire to catch up with relations living here.

"Now, since 2019, we live here permanently and don't regret the move."

One local resident, Maralyn Groves, believes England as a whole is over populated while another, John Wilshaw, believes the number of people moving to Alsager has placed pressure on services.

"No wonder you can't get an appointment at the doctors," he said on Social Media.

However former Alsager Town Council chair, Cllr Michael Unett believes the pressure on services is down to funding.

"It's more to do with under investment over a decade than it is to do with population," he said.

Another Nub News reader, Sue Allen said: "It's not surprising – they have built on very field."  

Whatever, the latest census figures can't be disputed.

Other key headline results for Cheshire East include:

• Cheshire East is the ninth least densely populated in the North West, with around two people living on each football pitch-sized area of land
• Cheshire East has the fifth largest population increase across the North West region, below Salford (15.4 per cent), Chorley (9.9 per cent), Manchester (9.7 per cent) and Cheshire West and Chester (8.4 per cent)
• The oldest aged group (those aged 90 and above) increased by a third (32 per cent) in Cheshire East which is above the England average (23 per cent)
• We have also seen individuals aged 70 to 74 increase by nearly half (45 per cent), which was also above the England average (37 per cent)
• Some younger age groups also increased, for example those aged 30-34 increased by a quarter (24 per cent), nearly twice the England average (13 per cent)

These latest ONS results reveal an increase in the population in England and Wales of more than 3.5 million (6.3 per cent) compared with Census Day 2011.