£5m scheme paves the way for Branston Locks jobs and homes

A £5million road project which will pave the way to a major business and housing scheme in Burton will begin this month.

The Branston Locks development will see 400 acres of land immediately west of the A38 developed with 2,500 new homes, a range of community facilities and a 50-acre employment site, which will be known as Quintus. It will also include retail, health, leisure and recreational facilities, as well as provision for older people. Separate developments on land nearby will see new primary and high schools built.

Staffordshire County Council will be delivering a package of road and infrastructure works which will enable Nurton Developments (Quintus Ltd) to move on site to carry out the main project, together with residential developers. The road scheme will start on Monday June 20 on the A38 Branston Interchange to the area around the canal bridge.

The road project is being funded through the Government’s Local Growth Deal, which was accessed by the county council and Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership. Nurton Developments has also made a substantial contribution.

Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership chairman David Frost said: “We are delighted to see such rapid progress on this scheme. It is an excellent example of how we are working together across the public and private sectors to create new jobs, sustained economic growth and flourishing local communities.

“Branston Locks is one of a whole series of exciting new developments taking place across our region illustrating that Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire is an increasingly attractive place for businesses to locate and grow, and a great place to live.”

Staffordshire County Council’s economy leader Mark Winnington said: “The Branston Locks development is another major project for Staffordshire; bringing in thousands of new homes, new business and new jobs. We will be starting to build the new roads and improve existing ones over the next few weeks, enabling the development on site to follow. We will of course be making every effort to keep any disruption to a minimum. This is yet another example of how the county council is working closely with developers and other partners to further increase Staffordshire’s economic growth and make it right for business and an attractive place to live and visit.”

The main road works will see Branston Road realigned in a northern direction with a new bridge over the Trent and Mersey Canal, together with new infrastructure to the business and housing development sites.  The whole project will also improve pedestrian and cycle access to the future development and canal tow path. All works are expected to be completed by late summer 2017.

During the first phase of the works, traffic signals will need to be put in place on Tatenhill Lane and at times over the existing canal bridge. All access to the site will be off the A38, with work taking place Monday to Friday, 7.30am to 6pm. Nearby residents will receive letters about the scheme. People can find out more by visiting: www.staffordshire.gov.uk/branstonlocks

The development is part of the wider plan by the county council and partners to create more and better jobs in Staffordshire by creating the conditions for growth – through investment in local skills and the infrastructure that is needed for future development.