A multi-million pound scheme to unlock land for employment and housing in Ashbourne has taken another step forward with the completion of a new roundabout that will link the development to the A52.
The roundabout cost £2.5m to install with FW Harrison Estates Ltd contributing £1.5m and the remaining £1m funded by the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership through our Local Growth Fund.
Derbyshire County Council is leading the project which also involves building a new link road to serve the proposed new Ashbourne Business Park and provide a much-needed second access to the existing Ashbourne Airfield Industrial Estate.
The project is part of a wider regeneration scheme also involving Derbyshire Dales District Council and Ashbourne-based developer FW Harrison Estates Ltd.
Proposals put forward by the developer for the new business park include nine hectares of serviced and development-ready employment land and access to land for new housing development as well as community and leisure facilities.
D2N2 Chief Executive Sajeeda Rose said: “Through our Local Growth Fund we are delighted to be supporting job growth in key rural towns like Ashbourne, which is the heart of Derbyshire Dales manufacturing economy.
“The Ashbourne Airfield project will be vital in boosting the full economic potential of the region by unlocking new jobs and providing much needed employment space for businesses to grow.”
The Harrison family has been working towards getting the site developed for over 10 years.
Paul Harrison, Managing Director of F W Harrison Estates Ltd said: “We are delighted with the progress made on the project. We look forward to when the existing industrial estate will gain a second access to alleviate the congestion along with the next phase of the project with the build of commercial units.”
The site will provide much needed industrial floor space and jobs for existing occupiers of the Ashbourne Airfield to expand and also give the chance for growth for new companies in Ashbourne.
Work has now started on building a new road stretching 720 meters to link Blenheim Road with the new development and provide a connection to the A52 via the new roundabout. The scheme will help accelerate the delivery of new employment and housing land in this part of the district.
Ashbourne Airfield Industrial Estate is the largest employment location in the Derbyshire Dales and the focus of the district’s manufacturing economy, occupied by over 70 businesses employing over 2,000 people.
Councillor Carolyn Renwick, Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Environment, said: “We’ve reached a key milestone in this project to unlock land to bring new jobs and housing to the area as well as easing congestion on Blenheim Road.”
“We look forward to seeing the second phase of this project completed in November 2021 to open up the site to development and pave the way to bring huge economic benefits to the area.”
The county council appointed Construction firm Eurovia to build the roundabout and Noel Regan and Sons to build the link road.
Derbyshire Dales District Council Leader Councillor Garry Purdy said: “The infrastructure scheme is a hugely significant regeneration project for the Derbyshire Dales and will be a key driver for renewed economic growth as we recover from COVID.
“This site is superbly located. The new roundabout and link road will help address existing highway capacity problems and unlock the site’s enormous potential, providing expansion opportunities for local firms, serviced land to attract new firms and much needed employment opportunities within the local area.”
