Major works to provide access to a new £160 million retail development and improve traffic flow on the roads around it are set to begin next week.
 
Cannock Chase District Council granted planning approval for a designer outlet at Mill Green in September 2016 following extensive consultations with the local community. On-site construction of McArthurGlen Designer Outlet in Cannock started this summer. When it opens in 2020, this new landmark retail destination and community hub will create 1,000 jobs for the local area.
 
As part of the development, McArthurGlen has committed £15 million to a highway improvements programme to facilitate additional traffic and ease congestion on roads. The county council and development partner Amey will carry out the road infrastructure works, which will include;
 

  • Access works and improvements on the A460 Eastern Way, Churchbridge interchange and Orbital Way.
  • Widening the A460 Eastern Way to a dual carriageway and creating slip roads to the designer outlet.
  • A new underpass and access to the site from the A460. New footpaths and cycle ways will also be installed. Before the underpass is built, a temporary road will be built so no closures of the A460 are needed during peak times and traffic can continue to flow.
  • Widening both the eastern and western A460 legs at the Churchbridge junction to provide two lanes in both directions
  • Widening Orbital Way on the eastbound side, improving the Lodge Lane and Churchbridge roundabouts and installing new toucan crossings on Eastern Way.

Staffordshire County Council’s economic growth leader Mark Winnington said: “This is a major road project which is supporting the development of what will become a big regional and national visitor attraction for Cannock and Staffordshire.
 
“It is a county council priority to ensure we have a thriving economy and McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Cannock will play an important part in this – bringing people into Staffordshire and making a positive impact on the county. The project is also bringing in improvements across the wider area which is good news for the community.
 
 “The highways works are absolutely essential to the delivery of the overall development. We will see a significant increase in traffic around the area and this scheme will provide suitable access to the site and improve traffic flow on surrounding roads. Our highways team has put in a lot of careful planning to this project and as part of this will be the construction of a temporary road to ensure there is no closure of the A460 while the underpass is built.
 
“With any project of this size there will be some disruption, so we would ask people to bear with us during these essential works. Once completed, the road network around the site will help to ensure the designer outlet is a success.”

The improvement and infrastructure works are scheduled to start on November 12 and are set to complete in 72 weeks.

People can sign up for email updates on the project using the sign up to alerts feature on the county council website homepage.
 
More information about the highways improvement scheme can be found on the county council’s transport pages at www.bit.ly/2qxImaJ or people  can contact 0300 111 8000.
 
For information on the McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Cannock people can visit www.designeroutletcannock.com