Project update: Relief for motorists as Eastway roadworks set to come to an end

Roadworks linked to the construction of a new mini retail park in Fulwood are set to come to an end tomorrow (Sunday)

What’s going on?

In January workmen moved in to widen a stretch of Eastway in Fulwood to serve a new mini-retail park at its junction with Oliver’s Place. Since then, motorists have had to navigate lanes narrowed by cones and barriers, while engineers dig in the area.

Is it on schedule?

Although signs in the highway state that works are set to finish tomorrow, Lancashire County Council’s streetworks team said the permit for work expires on April 30, so work can take place until then.

William Pye Construction, which is carrying out the work, were unavailable for comment when approached by the Lancashire Post.

What’s the background?

Work is well underway on the 7,000-square metre site off Eastway, on land opposite the old Lancashire Post building.

The development will house shops, a warehouse, a gym, a supermarket and a Costa Coffee drive-through. The supermarket has been strongly rumoured to be an Aldi, but the retailer has not confirmed this.

Access to the site will be from Oliver’s Place only. The Costa Coffee drive-through lane would be via the main retail park entrance and would wrap around the building before exiting via the wider scheme’s car park to another access on to Oliver’s Place.

A scheme for a mini retail park in Fulwood has been on the radar of Preston Council planning officers for several years with outline planning permission granted back in 2015.

After years of work by architects Cassidy and Ashton, plans were finally approved in June 2018.

No objections were received and councillors claim most local residents welcome the development.