Work on new Staffordshire developments to begin - creating thousands of jobs
Work will start within days on new developments creating thousands of jobs across Staffordshire after funding was finalised, it was revealed today.
The £82.2 million Staffordshire Growth Deal will see Government cash ploughed into developments across the county.
The funding has now been confirmed and the deal signed by council bosses.
At Stafford, money will go towards a new Western Access highway between Newport Road and Doxey Road, which is intended to ease congestion and help open up sites for housing and so companies can expand and create jobs. It means the completion of a long-awaited road link.
Meanwhile work will start on four main projects - Bericote at Four Ashes, Lichfield Park, Meaford near Stone and Etruria Valley in Stoke.
Much of the work involves transforming brownfield sites with industrial units and businesses, as well as improving road access, and create thousands more jobs in the process.
Work is set to start on the Lichfield Park scheme within days, which will involve bridge widening and local road improvements in Lichfield to improve access to the Cappers Lane employment area and the Lichfield Park employment site. Some 1,100 new jobs will be created by the expansion of businesses and building work there.
The other projects are then expected to follow in the coming months.
At Meaford, Stone, a new roundabout junction on the A34 will improve access to the Meaford employment site. A total of 2,300 jobs will be created once the park is complete.
In Four Ashes, new traffic controlled access and road widening for the Bericote employment site, helping to create 1,080 jobs by expanding the site.
Access to the A449 will be upgraded with new traffic signals, the bridge over the Stafford and Worcestershire canal is to be widened and priority control over the rail bridge will favour incoming traffic to the development.
The deal has now been agreed by county council bosses, meaning work can move forward.
County council economy boss Councillor Mark Winnington said: "We can now get started with our first growth deal funded project, meaning we will see jobs created as quickly as possible. This is what the growth deal is all about – efficient delivery of major projects which will secure long-term growth. "Ours is one of the biggest growth deals in the country which is recognition by the Government that in Staffordshire we have an excellent track record in doing this."
He added: "The decision to enter into contracts with private sector developers to deliver the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent growth deal means the people of Staffordshire will be able to access more good jobs and feel the benefits of living and working in a prosperous county.
"The county's economy is recovering from the recession at increasing pace with more, better paid jobs and unemployment is at its lowest since 2007. Businesses big and small are prospering here, while others outside the county see it as a place to invest in, because there is a track record of public and private sectors working together for mutual benefit.
"The £82.8m of investment secured through the growth deal will continue this momentum, with £9.2m of funding and financial contributions from private sector developers earmarked to accelerate work on three key sites at Meaford, Lichfield Park and Bericote Four Ashes, supporting the creation of more than 4,500 new jobs in our economy.
"In turn, that will mean greater prosperity for Staffordshire people and allow them to lead the lives they want and, in turn, be happier, healthier and more independent."
