Progress is being made on Chester's newest archives centre, which is set to co-host the region's archives.

Cllr Louise Gittins, leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council, recently met with the teams building the two new centres in Chester and Crewe.

Cheshire Archives, Chester, is being built on the site of the former Enterprise Centre in Hoole. Construction on the building started last autumn.

Both centres will feature exhibition and event spaces, new research rooms, workspace for staff and volunteers, as well as environmentally stable storage for the archives.

Cheshire Archives and Local Studies is a shared service of Cheshire East Council and Cheshire West and Chester Council - looking after the county's unique written and pictorial history, which dates back more than 900 years.

'Cheshire's archives: a story shared', seeks to transform the way the archives service works, opening up the collections to a whole new audience.

"Cheshire Archives Chester and Cheshire Archives Crewe will be the new homes for our priceless Cheshire Archives collection," Cllr Gittins said.

"It's with thanks to our funders The National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Wolfson Foundation that this exciting project can be delivered."

Two new fly-through videos are now available on the project website, giving a flavour of how they will look.

The project has been funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Wolfson Foundation.

Helen Featherstone, director at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: "It is great news that the work on the two new archive centres is progressing so well.

"Cheshire is a county that is rich in heritage.

"We're delighted that thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, we can support this project to ensure that wonderful history will be preserved for years to come and give local people the chance to explore and uncover the fascinating stories within the collections." 

Sarah Morton, regional director at Kier Construction North & Scotland, said: "We're proud to be working on these two new archive centres in Chester and Crewe, which will not only protect Cheshire's rich heritage but also create welcoming, inclusive spaces for the whole community to enjoy. 

"These centres are being built with people in mind – from the researchers and school groups who will explore the collections, to the volunteers and staff who will bring the archives to life.

"As part of our commitment to social value, we'll also be supporting local employment and training opportunities, helping young people into construction careers, and working with local suppliers wherever possible. 

"It's a privilege to help deliver facilities that will serve generations to come and become a real source of pride for the county." 

In-person access at the Cheshire Record Office isn't available while the archives are being prepared for moving.

Online archive services are still available, with copies of documents still able to be ordered and research services requested. 

Libraries across Cheshire will continue to provide access to local history books and maps as well as providing free online access to family history websites. 

More information on the project can be found here.