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New consultation plans for former Parkside Colliery site
date 3 October 2000 source Railtrack plc type Press release
Railtrack is meeting again with local St Helens councillors and residents groups this week to discuss the development of its plans for Parkside. Railtrack is working on proposals to develop the site of the former Parkside colliery at Newton-le-Willows for a rail freight interchange with associated rail freight warehousing.
The plans form part of the company’s proposed UK network of sites around the country designed to meet the Government’s target that the railways should carry 80% more freight by rail in the next ten years.
The meetings are the latest in a programme of community briefings set up by Railtrack to explain the proposals and listen to local issues and concerns. The plans for the site are being developed in close consultation with St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council and Warrington Borough Council as well as the Highways Agency, the North West Regional Development Agency and local residents groups.
Julie Wrigley, Development Manager at Railtrack for the Parkside site commented, “We believe that our proposals for Parkside represent a unique opportunity to create a strategic integrated rail freight facility in the heart of the north west that will generate local jobs and enhance the region’s competitiveness. But we are also aware of the concerns of people locally about the potential impact of a development of this scale. We are keen to listen to them and reassure them about our plans”.
The proposals will involve regenerating a significant redundant site – supportive of the Government's initiatives on the regeneration of former coalfields. It is anticipated that the development of Parkside will generate between 2-4,000 jobs in the region.
Railtrack is proposing to submit a planning application by the end of the year.
