A large vacant unit at Macclesfield's main shopping centre could be set for a new lease of life.

Youth Fed has submitted a change of use application to Cheshire East Council for Unit 1A at the Grosvenor Centre.

The regional charity is looking to turn the unit, located between TK Maxx and The Entertainer, into a youth centre called Our Space.

"It will provide a safe, inclusive and supportive environment tailored specifically to the needs of young people in Macclesfield," reads a design and access statement included in the planning application.

"By offering targeted youth services, mentorship programs, skills workshops and recreational activities, the facility will act as a vital community asset that fosters personal development and social inclusion.

"Consequently, a change of use to Class F2 is requested as this classification precisely accommodates the space and support that charity's mission.

"A subsequent planning application is likely to follow once the change of use has been established. The detail of this will depend on the developed proposals."

The application explains that Unit 1A has been vacant ever since the Grosvenor Centre was first built, representing a 'long-standing underutilization of prime town centre floorspace'.

It adds: "Transitioning this prominent, disused unit into a vibrant, community-focused youth facility will deliver a transformative positive impact on the immediate area.

"Rather than maintaining a vacant commercial store front, this proposal breathes new life into the Grosvenor Centre, actively boosting daytime footfall, enhancing the town's social infrastructure, and replacing a dormant space with an energetic, highly valued asset that serves the local community."

If given the green light, Our Space will in the footsteps of Fermain Boys Club, which was previously based on Brunswick Street before moving to Oxford Road in 1960, with Richard Attenborough performing the opening ceremony.

However, in 2011 the organisation experienced significant financial difficulties and was at risk of closure.

Youth Fed stepped in and took over the site and has since established a successful Youth Achievement Foundation, providing alternative education for more than 200 vulnerable young people.

The application reads: "This history demonstrates the longstanding demand for dedicated youth provision in Macclesfield and the important role that accessible youth spaces can play in supporting young people, developing their skills and providing somewhere safe to meet, socialise and take part in positive activities.

"Our Space is the next chapter in that history.

"It is not simply a replacement for Fermain or a continuation of the previous building; it is an opportunity to create a new, modern youth facility in Macclesfield town centre, designed around the needs and aspirations of today's young people."

Today, Youth Fed supports 21 local member organisations through fundraising, volunteer recruitment, youth engagement and policy development.

Over the last 12 months alone, Youth Fed has delivered 11 projects in Macclesfield, engaging more than 2,000 children and young people, working with more than 100 local businesses and partnering with all secondary schools in the area.

"This combination of history, local partnerships, established relationships and direct experience of working with young people provides a strong foundation for Our Space," the application adds.

"The ambition is to take the best of what has gone before, the sense of community, belonging and opportunity that youth clubs have provided for generations and create something new that reflects the needs of Macclesfield's young people today and into the future."

Our Space has been co-designed with more than 660 local young people through surveys, focus groups, peer interviews and a seconday school-based youth board.

Youth Fed say it will serve as an 'open-access community hub' where young people, organisations and the wider community come together.

Key elements of the proposal include a modern facility with social spaces, media rooms, a teaching kitchen, quiet/support rooms and sports facilities along with a varied programme of activities including sports, gaming, music and podcasting, arts and crafts, cooking, and digital/creative media.

Youth Fed's application can be viewed in full on the Cheshire East planning portal under the reference 26/3724/FUL.