A PLAN to develop Europe's largest business park adjacent to the M62 at Burtonwood has suffered a setback as a result of traffic congestion fears.
The 558-acre Omega development on the site of the former airbase at Burtonwood will be delayed by at least a year.
Developers Miller Group had hoped to gain planning permission this spring, but the Highways Agency has demanded further work be carried out to assess the business park's impact on the region's road network.
The business park, to be developed at a cost of £1bn, is expected to create up to 35,000 jobs over a 25-year period.
Liverpool, Manchester and Salford councils have lodged objections against the scheme because they fear it will adversely affect economic development within their own boundaries.
Regeneration agency English Partnerships owns the land. Eliot Lewis-Ward, EP director for Merseyside and Cheshire, said: "The highways authority has
asked us to extend our analysis of traffic impact from 700 local junctions to 2,800."
EP and Miller are seeking planning permission for the first two phases of the development. These account for just under half of the planned 7m sq ft of commercial space to be created at Omega.
Mr Lewis-Ward warned that the project could face further delays of up to 18 months if it is called in by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.
Mr Lewis-Ward acknowledged that EP needs to show why its project is not a threat to nearby boroughs.
He said: "They are concerned that Omega will take away from their core areas. We have to demonstrate that it is complementary to them, not in competition."
A planning application for the first two phases was submitted to Warrington Council 16 months ago. The smaller traffic impact study was completed just before Christmas. Now a further traffic study should be ready by the end of May. It should be considered by the council by August.
billgleeson@dailypost.co.uk
