Work set to resume on new town centre plan
BUILDING work is expected to resume on the creation of Skelmersdale’s new town centre within six weeks.
Numerous residents had raised concern over the lack of activity at the site in recent months, with some fearing that it may mean that the project had been abandoned during the Covid-19 pandemic.
A ground-breaking ceremony took place in January, only for activity at the site to grind to a halt. But West Lancashire Borough Council has remained insistent that no such problem had occurred and council chiefs say construction will restart in a matter of weeks.
It comes after lengthy talks between the council and its partners on the scheme and final contracts are expected to be signed imminently. The first phase of the major development will see the creation of shops including a Lidl superstore and B&M Bargains, as well as a play area in Tawd Valley Park and a high street linking West Lancashire College with the rest of the town centre.
While construction work is carried out on phase one, plans will also start to be developed for future phases and will be the subject of public consultations.
Councillor Ian Moran, leader of West Lancashire Borough Council, said: “We appreciate that people living in Skelmersdale want to see progress on Skelmersdale town centre and I can assure them that work is going on behind the scenes to make it happen. Once that is completed we will all be able to see the construction teams back on site to build our great new town centre.”
Alex Jaques, development director at St Modwen, the firm overseeing construction, said: “Everyone at St Modwen has been working on this development and is extremely pleased with progress so far. We look forward to work starting on site again soon.”