Delay over reopening Staffordshire road by planned business park

A road that has been closed since May as part of works to build a business park is now set to remain shut until the spring.

Fourteen warehouses and offices will be at Chatterley Valley in Staffordshire.

Newcastle council has backed plans for work on Peacock Hay Road, which was initially set to reopen in the autumn.

The situation has been complicated after the contractor behind the business park said it was on the brink of administration.

Now work has stopped on the site - and the road between Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent, and Talke - to allow Harworth Group to secure a new contractor.

The business park will create more than 1,840 jobs.

Planning agent Matthew Stocks said subject to agreeing the contract price, Harworth expected it would be on site this month with a view of getting the road reopened in spring 2024.

Buckingham Group, which was undertaking these works at the site, entered administration as of September.

Harworth secured the site to health and safety was maintained and worked "towards the recommencement of work on both the earthworks and the infrastructure and the new access", Mr Stocks added.

A new preferred contractor has been identified for the main earthworks and the buildings are looking to be constructed over the next four to five years.

Mr Stocks told the planning committee he wanted to take the opportunity to "provide assurances" that Harworth and its partners remained "fully committed to delivering this Chatterley Valley project".

Councillors were told the highways authority had signed off plans. After no debate, the application was approved unanimously by the committee.

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