New £60m link road now open to traffic and will serve as a crucial piece of infrastructure for the transformation of a former Liverpool city region colliery into a 2.6m sq ft logistics complex. Tony McDonough reports
A huge project to transform the former Parkside Colliery in Newton-le-Willows into a logistics complex has taken a step forward with the opening of a £60m link road.
Parkside Regeneration, a joint venture between St Helens Council and property firm Langtree, is looking to create up to 2.6m sq ft of logistics and industrial space at the site and on and to the east of the M6 motorway.
In March 2024 St Helens Council approved a ‘reserved matters’ planning application for 800,000 sq ft of logistics and industrial space in phase 1 of the project, costing around £80m. Plans were submitted for a further 1.7m sq ft of space in August 2024.
Now, thanks to a £39m cash injection from Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, as well as additional funding from St Helens Council and Parkside Regeneration, a new link road that will serve the development is now open to traffic.
This new road will ensure traffic generated by the site will be diverted away from residential areas and the A49, while also improving connectivity for commuters and helping to reduce environmental concerns. Main contractor was Balfour Beatty.
At a ceremony to open the road, St Helens Council leader Anthony Burns said: “Today’s unveiling of Parkside Link Road represents a transformative moment for St Helens borough and the wider Liverpool city region.
“This vital infrastructure will not only unlock thousands of new jobs but will also help to regenerate a long-abandoned site, bringing new opportunities to our community.
“We’re proud to see this project delivered and excited about the future it will help to build.”Parkside Link Road will provide vital access to Junction 22 of the M6 motorway, enhancing connectivity for the area and facilitating the movement of goods across the region.
It stretches for 3.3km and provides access to land designated as a Strategic Rail-Freight Interchange, supporting the transformation of the freight industry, reducing the number of HGVs in residential areas and supporting the improvement of passenger rail services.
With the Parkside Link Road now complete, the next phase of development will continue to drive forward the development of this area.
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