15 February 2008
An army of excavators is on site and set to remediate enough soil to fill the Royal Albert Hall more than twice over as the next phase of preparation work gets under way at the former MG Rover site at Longbridge.
The extensive investigation and ground clearing programme on Longbridge West fronting the A38 Bristol Road South, will see more than 200,000 cubic metres of soil cleaned across the 17 acre (6.9 hectare) site. This work will prepare the ground for the proposed new regional investment site, new homes and parks planned by developer St Modwen and joint land owner Advantage West Midlands.
More than three million square feet (278, 709 square metres) of the massive Longbridge site has already been cleared by St Modwen. The developer is working closely with the Environment Agency to ensure the former industrial site is fully remediated to allow the area to be completely transformed into a prosperous mixed-use development built around jobs, communities and people as set out in the proposed Longbridge Area Action Plan.
Mark Batchelor, construction manager for St Modwen, the UK’s leading regeneration specialist, said the successful completion of this £3 million preparation programme for Longbridge West was crucial to the long-term success of the Longbridge Area Action Plan.
He said: "The work carried out to make the site ready for redevelopment will need to be extensive and thorough. Following on from the relatively straightforward task of demolishing the buildings, we will have around 20 earthmovers and heavy machinery which will fully remediate the site ready for development."
The six month programme to clear what was formally the old West Works of the Rover plant marks a significant increase in activity by St Modwen as the next stage of delivering the 468 acre (189 hectare) development site.
Longbridge senior development manager Mike Murray said: "After the joint announcement in December of the Longbridge Area Action Plan by Birmingham City Council, Bromsgrove Council and Worcestershire Council, the future is looking bright. We are delighted all three councils are working together with a common vision of creating this new community, breathing much-needed new life into the area which will lead to 10,000 jobs and a minimum of 1400 new homes.
"The work being carried out on site is an important step in the future of this project. It is essential that the land is suitably prepared, allowing us to create this bright outlook for Longbridge. Though the Area Action Plan is still going through the approval process, the extensive work carried out will ensure that on approval, we can start to turn this hugely important project into a reality."
