TOLLADINE ROAD BRIDGE WORKS HERALD START OF GREAT WESTERN BUSINESS PARK

St Modwen, the UK¹s leading regeneration specialist, is set to begin the first phase of the £20 million Great Western Business Park development in Worcester on the site of the former Tolladine Goods Yard which it acquired from BRB (Railways) Ltd in May 2006. This is Worcester¹s largest brownfield site and has lain derelict for well over a decade.

Infrastructure work started early last November to form a new crossroads at the junction of Tolladine Road and Sheriff Street together with the removal of a redundant railway bridge on Tolladine Road.

The removal of the railway bridge has been carefully planned in conjunction with Worcestershire County Council and will involve cutting the bridge into sections and removing them by crane. In order to carry out the operation, Tolladine Road will be closed from its junction with Sherrif Street to Station Walk from February 16-24 and diversions will be put in place.

"We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause but the redevelopment of this site which has long remained derelict will lead to substantial economic benefits for the city and new job opportunities," said Julie Rossiter, of St Modwen.

Work on the initial 109,000 sq ft phase will begin early February and will provide employment units from 2,200 sq ft to 15,000 sq ft, which will be available from September.

The units will be available to let or purchase and asking prices will be from £6.50 (letting)/ £95 (purchase) per sq ft. They will suit a wide range of users from classic distribution and light manufacturing operations to trade counter and service businesses attracted by its edge of city centre location.

Further phases of the development are planned on the 23-acre site to meet demand over the next 12 to 18 months.

"Bringing forward this former redundant site for development has been a real challenge," says Ms Rossiter. "We have had to create a new habitat on part of the site for the translocation of slow worms which had established a home on part of the site ."

The former goods yard housed a series of workshops which sustained many years of wagon repair. In later years the workshops became the only UK location for the manufacture of the canvas coverings for railway goods wagons.

Ms Rossiter added: "The historical importance of these workshops has been replicated in the final design and construction of parts of the new development. We are using modern day construction techniques together with reclaimed materials from the site which reflect the design and quality of the original buildings."

Humberts are the letting/sales agent for the scheme.


For further information contact Julie Rossiter of St Modwen (0121 222 9400).
Issued by Paul Raymer of Holwe Chapman Raymer (0121 313 1000).

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