Work to start within weeks on creating link road for new major logistics hub

Councillors are "keen to get moving" on plans to turn a former colliery site on the border of Wigan and St Helens into a major logistics hub.
Parkside Colliery closed in 1993Parkside Colliery closed in 1993
Parkside Colliery closed in 1993

St Helens Council’s cabinet has approved the next steps for the development of Parkside Colliery in Newton, which is expected to create hundreds of jobs.

It means Balfour Beatty will start work in the New Year to create the Parkside link road, creating a direct link to the M6 from the site.

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Councillors also approved plans that will support bringing forward the construction of phase one of the development, after it received approval last month from Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

Coun Richard McCauley, the council's cabinet member for regeneration and planning, said: “We have been waiting eagerly for the approval from Government for some time and now that we have finally received the good news, we are keen to get moving on this truly transformational development for our borough. Phase one will, of course, bring huge benefit to the borough by creating quality jobs for our residents through both the construction and operation of this site.

“Parkside has significant regional importance as a large-scale economic growth opportunity and will put St Helens back on the map as an economic power. Michael Gove, on his approval of the plans last month, highlighted the significant economic benefits of a site at the sweet-spot between Liverpool and Manchester. It is also why Parkside has been identified as the largest custom and tax site in the Liverpool City Region Freeport plan.”

Coun Andy Bowden, cabinet member for environment and transport, added: “These plans will bring a former major employment site in our borough back into use after so long being left as a site plagued by anti-social behaviour. 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.

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Working with Balfour Beatty as our delivery partner for the road will also secure huge social value to the community, with the company committing to apprenticeships, training and supporting local supply chains. This project shows that we are determined to deliver this road and unlock the huge potential of the wider site, in particular it’s an opportunity to provide more opportunities for developing and encouraging sustainable industry through the sites unique rail freight positioning as quickly as we can to benefit our borough.”

Cabinet members approved the release of funding for the link road, along with the necessary additional land acquisition to make improvements at the junction of Southworth Road and Parkside Road to comply with planning conditions.

The first phase of the development will cover a 93,000 square metre site, bringing almost 500 jobs during the construction and the potential of more than 1,000 new jobs offering a variety of skills in the completed buildings.

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