Bringing Sankey Station back to life

Next year will be the 150th anniversary of Sankey Station, yet sadly it has stood empty for nearly a decade now. What was once the heart of the community, full of the hustle and bustle of Great Sankey life, is now a ghostly space with an abandoned building falling into disrepair. 

With the support of the local Parish Council, a Community Interest Company (CIC), Sankey Station Community Association, has been formed by local volunteers to restore Great Sankey’s heart, kickstart a vibrant local food & drink culture and create a meeting spot for everyone.

The CIC is seeking to benefit all residents of Great Sankey by bringing back to life our empty train station through a Community Asset Transfer. Our plan is to turn it into a bistro/community cafe where people can gather and have great experiences. It will also support local community groups by offering meeting space and become a hub for local cycling groups. 

These plans have been informed by a local consultation, which took place during lockdown, and have a clear social purpose. This is:

• To bring people of all ages together through positive experiences 
• To improve civic pride and a stronger sense of identity in Great Sankey 
• To build a neighbourhood that supports each other 
• To put Great Sankey station back at the heart of the community and act as a catalyst for wider regeneration 

To achieve this, we need to raise considerable funds – up to £500,000. Great Sankey Parish Council is offering generous support and we have received some funding from Northern Rail. We will be applying to other major funders shortly but grants only go some way towards the cost of renovation - and we need to show that the wider Great Sankey community are supportive of the initiative.

We are asking for help from the Crowdfunder community to support the development of two buildings – the main station and the adjacent station house. 

Crowdfunding £20,000 will help us start work on phase one of the programme and begin work on the station house in 2023. Our aim is to refurbish the building so that it can be used to kickstart an exciting food and drink offer that serves the whole community.