Controversial plans for a link road at former Parkside Colliery site will see a road closed for three months.
The Parkside plans are a joint venture between developers Langtree and St Helens Council which aim to transform the former Parkside Colliery into a logistics hub which it's claimed will create 1,300 permanent jobs for the area, with potentially thousands more to come.
Work began on creating a link road connecting the site to the M6 in January of 2022. Parkside colliery was one of the last coal mines left open in the Lancashire Coalfield, having opened in 1974, and closing in 1993.
READ MORE: Gang behind secret £1million amphetamine lab used Costco car park for dodgy dealings
St Helens Borough Council claims the link will divert goods traffic away from nearby roads such as the A49, helping to reduce the impact on residential roads and improve the local environment. To enable the next phase - connecting the new road to the existing highway - a planned road closure will be in place at A573 Parkside Road from its junction with Barrow Lane to the boundary with Warrington from April 24 to July 28, with a diversion route in place.
Plans for the link road initially came under fire as the road would cross 93 acres of Green Belt land.
Councillor Andy Bowden, St Helens Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, said: "The Parkside Link Road is one of the biggest infrastructure projects our borough and the region has seen in many years and will provide a huge boost to development while reducing the impact on our local road networks.
“I’m delighted to see the project progress and as we head into the next stage, a planned road closure will be required which could lead to disruption which we'll look to keep to a minimum.
"The long-term benefits certainly outweigh short-term inconveniences as we strive to unlock the huge potential of the wider site which has lay derelict for too long – bringing much needed jobs to the area – and capitalise on the site’s unique rail freight positioning to encourage sustainable industry.”
Parkside Link Road is expected to be completed by late spring 2024.
Receive newsletters with the latest news, sport and what's on updates from the Liverpool ECHO by signing up here
READ NEXT
Drug dealer's luxury life of Louis Vuitton bags and holidays exposed by 'pure chance'
Dad punched after his Aintree stag do now fighting for life in coma
Gang behind secret £1million amphetamine lab used Costco car park for dodgy dealings
Loose Women announce first live tour with a date in Liverpool
