LEP chairman praises progress at Lichfield’s Liberty Park
Construction of a new industrial and warehouse development in Staffordshire that will create up to 1,100 jobs is taking a huge step forward as the installation of the site’s access bridge nears completion next weekend.
The development of Liberty Park, Lichfield, is being backed with £4 million in funding from the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership’s growth deal.
At the beginning of August work was completed to lift beams into place across the West Coast Mainline which will provide the deck for the access bridge into Liberty Park, just off the A38. On Saturday August 15, engineers hope to complete the job by pouring concrete on top of the beams into temporary moulds which will provide a solid slab forming the bridge deck. It means vehicles will soon be able to travel across the bridge.
Staffordshire County Council is supporting the infrastructure for the site, with the development being delivered by Liberty Property Trust and its partner Stoford Developments.
Liberty Park is one of a range of major economic development projects drawn up by the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire LEP, which has secured a total of £82 million in growth funding from the government, and was the first of its projects to get under way.
Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership chairman David Frost said: “We are delighted to see such speedy progress at Liberty Park. Our priority is to deliver more and better quality jobs for Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire and it is great to see the infrastructure for this key project moving ahead so quickly.”
The new bridge should be completed by late autumn this year. The development also involves improvements to Burton Old Road which will provide access to the site, enabling the development of approximately 450,000 sq. ft. of employment space.
Staffordshire County Councils economy leader Mark Winnington said: “The bridge installation at Liberty Park Lichfield marks a major step forward in the development which is progressing on schedule. It means our infrastructure works should be complete by the end of the year. Together with our partners we are demonstrating how we’re delivering major projects which boost economic growth and job creation locally. The Liberty Park Lichfield development is significant for Lichfield and for Staffordshire.
Andrew Blevins, managing director, Liberty Property Trust said: “Since Liberty Park was launched in March this year, it has already attracted interest from potential occupiers well placed to create jobs and economic growth for the region.”
