The first phase of a major development to bring new jobs, housing and business to a County Durham town is expected to be completed by the summer.
Durham County Council is reassuring residents after unforeseen problems caused delays affecting roadworks in the A167/A688 Thinford roundabout area – which a lot of Aycliffe residents use to commute.
The £8.5m roadworks improvement scheme is being carried out as part of the wider DurhamGate project, which will see a new housing, retail, leisure and business development on a 55-acre former industrial site on the outskirts of Spennymoor.
The roadworks, which are not only essential to the DurhamGate development but will also reduce traffic congestion and bring improved access to the nearby Green Lane Industrial Estate and Spennymoor town centre, were originally planned to be completed at the end of 2011.
But unforeseen problems regarding the diversion of underground services and, installing new drainage combined with having to keep traffic flowing in one of the county’s congestion hotspots have resulted in delays. In addition through a coordinated approach, other organisations have also taken the opportunity to undertake essential infrastructure works, which would have been necessary regardless of the creation of DurhamGate. This means that the roadworks are now expected to run on until the summer.
Cllr Neil Foster, Cabinet member for regeneration and economic development at Durham County Council, said: “These roadworks are part of a major development that will bring significant benefits to Spennymoor and the surrounding area.
“Unfortunately there have been some issues which were not anticipated and which have caused some delays to the work.
“However, we would like to reassure people that we have largely resolved these issues and we hope to complete the roadworks by the summer.
“We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and we would ask motorists for their continued patience while these important roadworks are carried out.”
Work on the Thinford roundabout is expected to be completed by the summer while work on the York Hill Road and the new roundabout by the Coach and Horses pub are due to be finished in the spring.
The wider DurhamGate project is expected to bring nearly 3,000 new jobs when it is fully completed as well as creating construction jobs and training opportunities during the work.
Along with new retail and leisure developments, including shops, a restaurant, a pub and an 80-bed hotel, there will also be 376 new homes built as part of the scheme.
