Regeneration plan in offing for former colliery
A SERIES of technical reports have been completed which clear the way for a planning application for the first phase of the redevelopment of Parkside Colliery in Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside.
Bosses at Parkside Regeneration, the joint venture company owned by St Helens Council and developer Langtree which was established to redevelop the former coal mine, say the reports mark “a big step forward’” in the ambition to replace the 2,000 jobs lost on the site after the pit’s closure in 1992.
John Downes, group managing director at Langtree, said: “Our professional advisers have been working incredibly hard behind the scenes to scope out what’s needed to redevelop Parkside Colliery fit for today’s economy and to create jobs for local people.
“There is a long history to Parkside and we’ve been conscious that we need to get it right this time. We’ve looked at everything again, from site layout to environmental improvements and are now confident that we can go on now to develop a scheme that’s deliverable.
“Our advisers tell us that there is pent-up demand from advanced manufacturing and logistics businesses for buildings of around 20,000 sq m (215,000sq ft) and I think we could hope to accommodate four or possibly five within a planned first phase.”
St Helens Council leader Cllr Barrie Grunewald said “There remains long term, generational unemployment in St Helens and the technical reports and surveys suggest that even this first phase of the colliery’s redevelopment could provide up to 1,200 new jobs. That would be a huge boost to St Helens and I congratulate the team on their work.”
The technical reports, from a range of top consultants that are advising the joint venture, examined how issues such as ecology and ground conditions might affect building layout and how landscape design could create enhanced public amenity for local people. They are required under the law for a planning application of this nature.
