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://sandbach.nub.news/news/local-news/census-2021-cheshire-east-grows-by-more-than-28000-in-ten-years-139458

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 Sandbach, how has the town changed in the last 10 years and how do people remember it?

Sandbach Woolworths closed two years earlier in December 2008 and today it is a WH Smith.

Sandbach still has two secondary schools as it did in 2011 - Sandbach School and Sandbach high School and Sixth-Form College.

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Sandbach School became a one of the first free schools to be established in September 2011. Free schools are funded by the government and have more control over how they do things. 

Sandbach's famous Old Hall, which had fallen into disrepair, was bought by Brunning and Price in 2010, repaired and restored and opened as a pub and restaurant.

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The Old Hall, Sandbach

In 2010, Sandbach Clean Team branched out and helped in the formation of Sandbach Woodland and Wildlife Group (SWWG).

In spring 2012, , Sandbach Town Council launched a short Season of Cinema at the Town Hall. Today it has the Community Cinema showing monthly films.

In 2013, The George in High Street, Sandbach housed in a Grade II listed building. opened as a Wetherspoons.

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The George celebrated was eight years old in December 2021

Sandbach has a good variety of sporting facilities, including two cricket clubs and a rugby club. In 2010, Sandbach United Football Club opened its Hind Heath Road ground.

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.