Posted on Wednesday 15th July 2020
McArthurGlen Designer Retail Outlet West Midlands
A major Staffordshire highways project to create access to a multi-million-pound designer retail outlet and improve surrounding roads has been completed.
The works, carried out by the county council’s highways team, will pave the way for the McArthurGlen Designer Outlet West Midlands in Cannock, which is set to complete construction later this year. The scheme will provide access to the £160 million development and improve traffic flow on surrounding roads.
Despite the Covid-19 outbreak and lockdown restrictions, the project was able to continue safely.
The final phase of the project included the resurfacing of the Lichfield Road roundabout and the A460 between the Hayes Way roundabout and the Lichfield Road roundabout. The Lichfield Road roundabout junction signals were activated this week.
McArthurGlen committed £15million to the improvement scheme, taking place at Churchbridge and the A460 Eastern Way.
Staffordshire County Council’s cabinet member for highways and transport Helen Fisher said:
This has been a huge project for our highways team and for Cannock and the surrounding areas. We’re pleased to have played our part in ensuring the right road infrastructure was put in place ahead of the opening of the McArthurGlen Designer Outlet West Midlands.
This development will provide jobs for local people and bring in thousands of visitors each week, providing a great boost to the county economy. While the Covid-19 outbreak has undoubtedly been challenging for our highways teams across Staffordshire, they have continued throughout wherever safe to do so.
It has meant this project has been completed on schedule. We know over the last year there has been unavoidable disruption and so we’d like to thank people and businesses in the area for their patience. We’re confident this will bring long-term benefits to communities and the local economy.”
Cannock Chase Council granted planning approval for a designer outlet at Mill Green in September 2016 following extensive consultations with the local community. On-site construction of the McArthurGlen Designer Outlet in Cannock started last summer. When it opens, this new landmark retail destination and community hub will create 1,000 jobs for the local area.
The completed road improvements include:
• Access and improvements on the A460 Eastern Way, Churchbridge interchange and Orbital Way.
• Widening the A460 Eastern Way to a dual carriageway and creating slip roads to the designer outlet.
• A new underpass and access to the site from the A460, new footpaths and cycle ways.
• Widening both the eastern and western A460 legs at the Churchbridge junction to provide two lanes in both directions
• Widening Orbital Way on the eastbound side, improving the Lodge Lane and Churchbridge roundabouts and installing new toucan crossings on Eastern Way.